List of LGBT American football players

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For a more in-depth discussion of the topic go here: Homosexuality in American Football.

This is a list of notable, openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, transgender, and queer-identifying athletes associated with American Football, namely the NFL. This includes those who were posthumously outed.

List of professional players[edit]

LGBT NFL Players
Name Years Active Play Status Position Associated Teams Identity
Dave Kopay 1964-1972 △ Running back 49ers, Lions, Redskins, Saints, Packers Gay[1]
Jerry Smith* 1965-1977 △ Tight End Washington Redskins Gay[2]
Ray McDonald 1967-1968 △ Running back Washington Redskins Gay[3]
Roy Simmons 1979-1983 △ Guard Giants, Redskins Gay[4]
Jeff Rohrer 1982-1989 △ Linebacker Dallas Cowboys Gay[5]
Esera Tuaolo 1991-1999 △ Defensive Tackle Packers, Vikings, Jaguars, Falcons, Panthers Gay[6]
Kwame Harris 2003-2008 △ Offensive Lineman 49ers, Raiders Gay[7]
Ryan O'Callaghan 2006-2011 △ Offensive Lineman Patriots, Chiefs Gay[8]
Aaron Hernandez* 2010-2013 ▲ Tight End Patriots Bisexual[9][10]
Ryan Russell 2015-2017 △ Defensive End Buccaneers, Cowboys, Bills Bisexual[11]
Carl Nassib** 2016- △ Defensive Lineman Browns, Buccaneers, Raiders Gay[12]
Wade Davis 2000-2003 ▲ Wide Receiver Titans, Seahawks, Redskins Gay[13]
Dorien Bryant 2008-2008 ▲ Wide Receiver Steelers Gay[14]
Martin Jenkins 1977-1977 ▲ Defensive Back Seahawks Gay[15]
Brad Thorson 2011-2011 ▲ Offensive Lineman Cardinals Gay[16]
Michael Sam† 2014-2014 ▲ Defensive End Rams, Cowboys [CFL Alouettes 2015]‡ Gay[17]
Colton Underwood 2014-2020 ▲ Tight End Chargers, Eagles, Raiders Gay[18]

*Posthumously revealed to have been gay.

**First active NFL player to come out.[19]

†First openly gay player to be drafted by the NFL (did not make it onto the roster by the start of the playing season).

‡First openly gay man to play in a regular season game in the CFL[20]

△Played in a Regular Season Game

▲Attended Training Camp[21]

LGBT NWFA & FWA Players
Name Years Active Position Associated Teams Identity
Alissa Wykes 2000-? Running Back Liberty Belles Lesbian[22]

List of collegiate players[edit]

LGBT NCAA Football Players
Name Position College/University Division Identity
Conner Mertens* Placekicker Willamette University III Bisexual[23]
Wyatt Pertuset Wide receiver Capital University III Gay[24]
Brian Sims Defensive tackle Bloomsburg University II Gay[25]
Jacob Van Ittersum Offensive Lineman Northwood University II Bisexual[26]
Mason Darrow Offensive Lineman Princeton University I Gay[27]
Scott Frantz Offensive tackle Kansas State University I Gay[28]
Ed Gallagher Offensive tackle University of Pittsburgh I Gay[29]
Alan Gendreau Placekicker Middle Tennessee State University I Gay[30]
Bradley Kim Defensive back Air Force Academy I Gay[31]
Chip Sarafin Offensive lineman Arizona State University I Gay[32]
Kennedy McDowell Defensive lineman Colorado State University I Gay[33]

*First active collegiate football player to publicly come out.[34]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Dunlap, Alex (February 3, 2013). "'The NFL Beat': Lombardi and Kopay". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  2. ^ ""HE WAS ONE OF US"". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  3. ^ Kroeger, Brooke (2003). Passing [electronic resource]: when people can't be who they are. Internet Archive. New York: Public Affairs. ISBN 978-1-58648-287-9.
  4. ^ Yardley, William (2014-02-25). "Roy Simmons, 57, Lineman Who Later Came Out as Gay, Dies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  5. ^ Zeigler, Cyd (2018-11-14). "Gay former Dallas Cowboy Jeff Rohrer is marrying his boyfriend this Sunday". Outsports. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  6. ^ "A Gay Football Player, 'Alone in the Trenches'". NPR.org. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  7. ^ "NFL: A football career spent in the closet". ESPN.com. 2013-05-29. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  8. ^ Zeigler, Cyd (2017-06-20). "Former Patriots and Chiefs tackle Ryan O'Callaghan comes out as gay". Outsports. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  9. ^ Globe, The Boston. "Aaron Hernandez hid secrets behind his smile". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
  10. ^ "Watch Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez | Netflix Official Site". www.netflix.com. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
  11. ^ Zeigler, Cyd (2019-08-29). "NFL free agent Ryan Russell comes out as bisexual". Outsports. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  12. ^ Nassib, Carl (2021-06-22). "Carl Nassib becomes first active NFL player to come out as gay – video". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  13. ^ Zeigler, Cyd (2012-06-05). "Wade Davis Comes Out As Gay". Outsports. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  14. ^ "Dorien Bryant: The NFL's Almost First Out Player | G Philly". Philadelphia Magazine. 2013-11-19. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  15. ^ Zeigler, Cyd (2020-10-06). "Gay former NFL player Martin Jenkins confirmed to Calif. Supreme Court". Outsports. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  16. ^ Zeigler, Cyd (2014-07-07). "Former football player Brad Thorson is gay". Outsports. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  17. ^ Branch, John (2014-02-10). "N.F.L. Prospect Michael Sam Proudly Says What Teammates Knew: He's Gay". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  18. ^ Zeigler, Cyd (2020-04-02). "Colton Underwood, former NFL prospect, now says he is gay". Outsports. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  19. ^ Buzinski, Jim (2021-06-21). "Raiders player Carl Nassib comes out as gay, first ever". Outsports. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  20. ^ "Michael Sam is 1st openly gay man to play in CFL regular season game". CBC News. August 7, 2015. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  21. ^ Buzinski, Jim (2019-09-05). "There have been 16 out gay and bi football players in the NFL's 102-year history". Outsports. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  22. ^ "Out in the field: pro footballer Alissa Wykes talks about breaking new ground for out lesbian athletes--and the flak she's gotten along the way. (Sports). - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  23. ^ Zeigler, Cyd (2014-01-28). "Conner Mertens came out to his college football team. Now he comes out publicly". Outsports. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  24. ^ "Gay college football player now an Ohio high school coach". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  25. ^ "Former college football captain was openly gay". 2013-01-15. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  26. ^ Paul, Tony. "Northwood football player Jacob Van Ittersum comes out as bisexual". The Detroit News. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  27. ^ Zeigler, Cyd (2015-09-15). "Princeton football player Mason Darrow comes out as gay four days before kickoff". Outsports. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  28. ^ "Gay K-State OT 'so accepted' after telling team". ESPN.com. 2017-07-13. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  29. ^ "Outsports: The Site for Gay Sports Fans and Athletes". 2009-02-17. Archived from the original on 2009-02-17. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  30. ^ Branch, John (2013-04-23). "A Potential Pioneer, Just Looking for a Job". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  31. ^ "Air Force defensive back Bradley Kim is first openly gay service academy player". Los Angeles Times. 2018-07-28. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  32. ^ "Arizona State OL Chip Sarafin announces he's gay". NFL.com. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  33. ^ "Kennedy McDowell is an out gay player on the Colorado State Rams football team". Outsports. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  34. ^ "Report: Division III kicker Conner Mertens tells coaches 'I'm bisexual' | FOX Sports on MSN". 2014-03-02. Archived from the original on 2014-03-02. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
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