Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker and outspoken gay rights activist Brendon Ayanbadejo insinuated in a Baltimore Sun piece that a group on NFL players may consider coming out together in an effort to "share the backlash."
"I think it will happen sooner than you think," Ayanbadejo told the Baltimore Sun when asked for his thoughts on whether a gay player would come out during his playing career. "We're in talks with a handful of players who are considering it. There are up to four players being talked to right now and they're trying to be organized so they can come out on the same day together. It would make a major splash and take the pressure off one guy. It would be a monumental day if a handful or a few guys come out.
Ayanbadejo also clarified that he does not feel his outward support of gay athletes played a role in his being cut by the Ravens this week. He made a comment to Newsday that seemed to imply he thought his vocal nature led to his dismissal. "I make a lot of noise and garner a lot of attention for various things off the football field. When that starts happening, why do you have that player around? I don't necessarily think teams want that type of attention."
In the Sun article, he backed off that statement significantly. "They do things the right way. I'm totally cool with them. I'm a Raven for life. Being a Raven has been the greatest experience professionally for me. I was a Raven and got to be in a state where they voted for marriage equality, which had always been defeated in the past. It was meant to be. We won the Super Bowl. It was such an amazing experience and roller-coaster ride. How could I ever be upset?" He also added that he was upset with the journalist who published the controversial quote.
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