Ex-NFL Leman Com Out as Gay, 'Used Football As a Beard'

patriots gay lineman

The former New England Patrts and Kansas Cy Chiefs offensive leman Ryan O’Callaghan has e as gay

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EX-PATRTS LEMAN RYAN O'CALLAGHAN, WHO ME OUT AS GAY, RELLS ROBERT KRAFT'S SUPPORT

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Former NFL player Ryan O'Callaghan said New England Patrts owner Robert Kraft supported him when he publicly me out as gay two years ago and told him he will be "forever a Patrt. For (Kraft), who opens up to me about a gay iend, I am the most important person the world those few moments.

" O'Callaghan me out as gay 2017 after retirg om the league 2011.

RYAN O'CALLAGHAN, FORMER NEW ENGLAND PATRTS LEMAN, OUT AS GAY

Former Patrt Ryan O'Callaghan, who me out as gay 2017, was hant to take part, but wanted to provi his perspective on Aaron Hernanz's sexualy. * patriots gay lineman *

Unrneath this seemgly idyllic scene is the tth that O’Callaghan is a tormented gay man dog everythg his power to rema the closet. ”) surround by his father and a group of uncl who had two basic methods of socializg: barbecu and homophobic jok.

Growg up to a nstant soundtrack of homophobia imprted the msage that “Beg gay is ath” on O’Callaghan om an early age. O’Callaghan also mak the nsc cisn not to name a sgle dramatic “gay awakeng” moment his young life, stead makg clear that at a certa pot, he jt knew that beg gay was a part of who he was. O’Callaghan says he grew up a nservative town and realized he was gay as a teenager.

THE PATRTS OFFENSIVE LEMEN SAY THEY’D SUPPORT A GAY TEAMMATE

“No one is gog to assume the big football player is gay, ” said O’Callaghan, who was listed as 6ft 7 and 330lbs durg his NFL reer. “It helped wh the pa of the juri, and wh the pa of beg gay. I jt didn’t worry about beg gay when I took the Vid.

MINNEAPOLIS — When Ryan O’Callaghan played offensive leman for the New England Patrts 2006 and 2007, he was eply closeted and a om g out publicly as gay.

While society has ma great stris LGBT acceptance the time sce O’Callaghan played for the Patrts — cludg legalizg same-sex marriage — the NFL and major men’s pro sports rema a sert, bereft of out gay or bisexual athlet. When I asked rookie guard Cole Croston whether he had gay iends or acquatanc growg up, he said “ really wasn’t a part of my life as a kid. Yet Croston was clear that he would embrace an openly gay teammate.

EX-NFL LEMAN COM OUT AS GAY, 'USED FOOTBALL AS A BEARD'

Only one of the players I spoke wh, Ted Karras, had a teammate high school or llege he later found out was gay. The views of all the lemen I spoke wh were pretty clear — for them, a gay teammate would be jt one of the guys. ”I’m sure along the way [I’ve had a gay teammate].

The offensive leman me out as gay 2017. O’Callaghan, who me out as gay 2017, told OutSports he was hant to participate, but wanted to provi the perspective of a formerly closeted football player.

“Obly, beg gay don’t make you want to kill someone, ” O’Callaghan said.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* PATRIOTS GAY LINEMAN

Ryan O'Callaghan, former New England Patrts leman, out as gay | NFL | The Guardian .

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