The NFL head honchos were openly supportive of Michael Sam as he may become the first openly gay active player in league history.
The league released a statement that read, "We admire Michael Sam's honesty and courage. Michael is a football player. Any player with ability and determination can succeed in the NFL. We look forward to welcoming and supporting Michael Sam in 2014."
That sentiment may not be shared by front office executives and coaches though, while even some players have expressed apprehension. Shortly after Sam revealed his secret, Sports Illustrated released a poll that showed there will be some bias toward the 2013 SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year. The top quote from that story came from an anonymous personnel assistant.
"I don't think football is ready for it just yet. In the coming decade or two, it's going to be acceptable, but at this point in time it's still a man's man game. To call somebody a [gay slur] is still so commonplace. It'd chemically imbalance an NFL locker room and meeting room," the unnamed assistant said.
Former NFL head coach-turned -analyst Herman Edwards was among the first to bring up the "distraction" narrative and increased media attention that will accompany Sam into the NFL if he's drafted, and current Giants cornerback Terrell Thomas seems in line with Herm's opinion.
"The attention on him is going to bring attention to the team -- unwanted attention, questions that the players, the coaches, the whole organization is going to have to answer -- and that's a lot for one player to carry by himself," Thomas told ESPN.com, before invoking the Richie Incognito-Jonathan Martin scandal that enveloped the league in 2013.
"You just look at what happened this year with the Miami Dolphins' situation. That became something we were being asked about every day in our locker room, and it wasn't even our team. And they're the kinds of questions where you have to think carefully about how you phrase things."
Finally, he expressed thoughts that run very contrary to the league's statement in support of Sam, plainly stating league is not prepared for its first gay player.
"I think society is ready for it and America's ready for it, but I don't think the NFL is," Thomas said. "Things are changing, and certain change is inevitable. We have to look at him like a brother and can't treat him any different. But that could be difficult for some people, just the way our locker rooms work."
Thomas also admitted he has likely played with gay teammates before, but said the difference is in the knowledge. "But there's a difference between knowing and not knowing that changes a lot of things," he said. "You're talking about playing in the NFL, the grind, the brotherhood, the joking that goes along with it. The locker room may not be ready for that, because it's the kind of thing that changes everything.
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