With Michael Sam prepared to kick down the last closet door in the NFL, current NFL Executive Vice President of Operations Troy Vincent admits that he definitely knew some gay players during his days in the league.
In a wide ranging discussion with various reporters after the annual owners meetings on Wednesday, Vincent opened up with some juicy tidbits from his days playing with the Miami Dolphins and other teams.
While playing with the Dolphins from 1992-1995, Vincent had a few gay teammates. The gays were pretty open about it behind the scenes, and nobody seemed to care much about it.
“I’m not going to share their names, but in my 15 years, there were six individuals who were at least openly gay in the locker room, no problem. From my days in Miami until I ended in Washington, they were just my teammates. Just like my family members. We ate together, we flew together, they’re roommates in hotel rooms. It was what it was.”
It’s interesting to know that gays in the NFL have been around long before anyone really started talking about it, but Sam still has a tough road ahead of him.
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As Jason Collins can tell him, there are still plenty of homophobic “knuckleheads” in professional sports. Fortunately, gays in the NFL have a powerful ally like Vincent on their side.
money718
I use to have such a crush on Troy Vincent.
Kangol
Such a cutiepie, even all these years later. So will any of these closeted ex-players other than Esera Tuaolo (and the late Roy Simmons, as well as Dave Kopay) ever come out? Lend Michael Sam a hand and show him that he joining more than a league, he’s joining a proud brotherhood!
D9W
You know it’s not what a gay player might really do that has insecure straights upset, it’s what the insecure straights imagine that a gay person might do. Which if you think about it, reflects their own mind set, and how they see themselves and how they act towards others (like your daughter). It’s truly not impressive. It does give some insight why a homophobe is more likely to rape or be abusive toward a women to prove their manhood then a non-homophobe.
mingyao
No speculation on who these players might have been? I’m sure someone could sleuth at least a few of them out with the clues Troy gave.