Survey: 86 percent of NFL players would accept gay teammate

[Johnnydollaz89]

Former Missouri linebacker Michael Sam announced earlier this month that he is gay. Other than a few anonymous comments from NFL types that Sam's sexuality will affect his draft stock, the response has been overwhelmingly positive both within the league and beyond.

In a recent anonymous survey of 51 NFL players, ESPN found that 86 percent don't care about another player's sexual orientation. Other findings:

• 62 percent said they had teammates or coaches who used homophobic slurs this past season.

• 76 percent said they would shower around a gay teammate.

• 54 percent said an openly gay player would be comfortable in an NFL locker room.

Steelers safety Ryan Clark spoke to that last point a day after Sam's announcement. He wondered how Sam's future teammates should behave around him. And while it may sound like a naive question, Clark explained that this isn't just about Sam being gay but about the culture of NFL locker rooms for everybody -- straight, gay, skinny, fat, handsome, ugly.

"You want to know how you can behave around this person," Clark said. "Anyone who has been in a football locker room knows that there's a lot of jokes, a lot of ribbing. We'll talk about anything. If a guy is fat. If a guy is ugly. If a guy's significant other is not attractive. These are things you josh each other about and you talk with each other about. In what ways can you talk to him? In what ways can you involve him in your conversations? What are the things you can do and say around him that won't make him uncomfortable? That won't make him feel that he's being ostracized? Or that won't make him feel like he's being harassed or quote, unquote bullied?"

One NFL starting receiver offered this advice to ESPN: "Whoever takes [Sam in the draft] should have an open talk at the beginning of camp, where everybody can ask what he's comfortable with, what offends him, what boundaries there should be. When it comes to race, people already know the boundaries, to a certain extent. But I don't think football players are overly familiar with what can and can't be said around a gay person."

Survey: 86 percent of NFL players would accept gay teammate - CBSSports.com

I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous. What happened between Icognitio/Martin was 100x worse than Michael Sam being in the locker room. I fully support Sam and coming out like he did. I don't see this as a problem in the locker room at all.

 

[BritishDolfan]

Survey: 86 percent of NFL players would accept gay teammate - CBSSports.com

I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous. What happened between Icognitio/Martin was 100x worse than Michael Sam being in the locker room. I fully support Sam and coming out like he did. I don't see this as a problem in the locker room at all.

The only way it might be a problem is if he ends up on a team with a tard like Incognito.

 

[JDM]

If he's not a pussy he won't be a distraction.

 

[The Derski]

If he's not a pussy he won't be a distraction.

I don't think he is a "pussy" considering he won co-defensive POY in supposedly the toughest conference in football.

 

[JDM]

I'm not talking physically. I'm talking if he's a head case like Martin was.

 

[The Derski]

I'm not talking physically. I'm talking if he's a head case like Martin was.

word

 

[ram29jackson]

all this proves most are smart enough to diplomatic. I don't have anything against gays either but I have to approve of the lifestyle to be tolerant of them.


and no matter what science wants to say...if he has a visible open cut that they don't take care of immediately, youll find real quick how people really want nothing to do with him.


but he is too small and already labeled a tweener and most teams already knew he was gay. IE he was labeled a tweener as rejection insurance

 

[CaptainStubing]

Well, 86% is a hefty number but this still means, on average, there would be several guys in each locker room that would not accept him. That's an issue, isn't it?

 

[mrwallace2ku]

Survey: 86 percent of NFL players would accept gay teammate - CBSSports.com

I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous. What happened between Icognitio/Martin was 100x worse than Michael Sam being in the locker room. I fully support Sam and coming out like he did. I don't see this as a problem in the locker room at all.

• 76 percent said they would shower around a gay teammate.

That leaves ONLY 24% who are "Unwilling" to share the showers...one "stinky" group of guyz there.

 

[ram29jackson]

they only surveyed 51 guys which means this is very controlled and doesn't prove or indicate anything.

 

[dkmightyhammer]

all this proves most are smart enough to diplomatic. I don't have anything against gays either but I have to approve of the lifestyle to be tolerant of them.


and no matter what science wants to say...if he has a visible open cut that they don't take care of immediately, youll find real quick how people really want nothing to do with him.


but he is too small and already labeled a tweener and most teams already knew he was gay. IE he was labeled a tweener as rejection insurance

I have to agree. This could just mean players are smart enough to know they are better off to say what the public wants to hear. It doesn't necessarily mean that they mean it.

I remember a gay politician on Bill Maher's show saying that the difference between liberals and conservatives was that the conservatives would call you a fag to your face and the liberals would wait until you were away from the cameras and then call you a fag in the coat room. Neither one is right but one group is more careful. I bet NFL locker rooms are no different.

 

[sonnyblack65]

• 76 percent said they would shower around a gay teammate

I'd have him wash my back, you know a straight teammate wouldnt

 

[BritishDolfan]

they only surveyed 51 guys which means this is very controlled and doesn't prove or indicate anything.

That might be the only thing you say on this topic that I agree with...

 

[ATL96Steeler]

they only surveyed 51 guys which means this is very controlled and doesn't prove or indicate anything.

Agree...same as a gallup poll.

That said, I really don't think it will be a big deal once the media lets go of it...players know there are already gay players in the locker room and most know who they are I'm sure.

Even in regular society...who (public figure or otherwise) has come out and it was a total surprise to you? I had a co-worker in sales and she was great at what she did...but whenever we had functions to bring a spouse etc. she either didn't come, or if she did, she came alone, never had anything to say about her personal life, nothing...after awhile we put 2 and 2 together.

Gay players in the NFL is never going to be a normal thing, but imo this is mostly media driven.

 

[Wazmankg]

Agree...same as a gallup poll.

That said, I really don't think it will be a big deal once the media lets go of it...players know there are already gay players in the locker room and most know who they are I'm sure.

Even in regular society...who (public figure or otherwise) has come out and it was a total surprise to you? I had a co-worker in sales and she was great at what she did...but whenever we had functions to bring a spouse etc. she either didn't come, or if she did, she came alone, never had anything to say about her personal life, nothing...after awhile we put 2 and 2 together.

Gay players in the NFL is never going to be a normal thing, but imo this is mostly media driven.

Exactly. A team isn't like the average workplace. The players live with each other on the road. They know what's going on with each other.. I think there will be some initial media attention and providing he makes the team it will pretty much go away. How he handles it will be very important with respect to how he's received by his teammates. He should take basically a "no comment" stance after he gets to camp. If he's constantly doing interviews about the subject, that would probably not go over well with the other guys.

 

[darken65]

This survey is not new. It was brought up before I even started posting here. I will say what I posted back in those days....51 players don't event represent a team...let alone the entire NFL. A bullshit survey as most are. Don't bother to post a survey and expect that to be what all of the players are thinking and that all is good.

 

[BoBlake]

If there are 1900 players in the NFL, then this survey has a +/- error rate of 13.5% (at 95% confidence).

So, between 72% and 100% of players don't care about sexual orientation.

 

[WizardHawk]

Well, 86% is a hefty number but this still means, on average, there would be several guys in each locker room that would not accept him. That's an issue, isn't it?

Racism still exists in some locker rooms as well. Point being, there are always going to be people on every team that some other players don't like. It's up to them to learn to get along to get their jobs done. They don't have to approve of their lifestyle, nor is it any of their business what happens in their bedrooms. They are all there to play football and to the best for their teams that they can.

If they can't play with gays on their team then leave for the CFL. You can choose to take a deal or leave it when offered by a team, but you do not get to pick and choose your teammates.

 

[sonnyblack65]

Racism still exists in some locker rooms as well. Point being, there are always going to be people on every team that some other players don't like. It's up to them to learn to get along to get their jobs done. They don't have to approve of their lifestyle, nor is it any of their business what happens in their bedrooms. They are all there to play football and to the best for their teams that they can.

If they can't play with gays on their team then leave for the CFL. You can choose to take a deal or leave it when offered by a team, but you do not get to pick and choose your teammates.

If I get paid millions, I dont care if I have to share a bus or locker room with the Taliban, as much as I dont like them or agree with their beliefs or lifestyle. As long as the bus isnt rigged with explosives. I'm no matyr for any amount of money

 

[darken65]

If there are 1900 players in the NFL, then this survey has a +/- error rate of 13.5% (at 95% confidence).

So, between 72% and 100% of players don't care about sexual orientation.

Not sure how you got to that point but I guess this is how polls are done....rendering them useless really. How about we just say 0% to 100% don't care as we will never realy know. This will play out soon enough and we will see in the coming years.