13 gay NFL players who proved that LGBTQ+ athletes belong in football

We have some much-needed LGBTQ+ representation in football thanks to these guys!

We still have a long fight ahead of us when it comes to LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream sports. Fortunately, one of the most popular sports in the U.S. has been making some progress thanks to the players who have come out.

The National Football League (NFL) has shown some evolution on queer representation in recent years. We continue to fight for the visibility of athletes who don't identify as straight, and it's great to see past examples of NFL stars coming out and still having successful careers.

Keep scrolling to learn more about the pro football players who have come out over the years!

Jerry Smith

Jerry Smith played as a tight end for the Washington Redskins between 1965 and 1977 — an impressive total of 13 seasons. Following his last season in the NFL, Smith came out as gay and moved to Austin, Texas, where he co-owned a gay bar.

In August 1986, Smith told The Washington Post that he had been diagnosed with HIV. Two months later, the NFL alum unfortunately died from complications related to HIV/AIDS.

David Kopay

David Kopay was one of the first professional athletes to come out as a gay man. Specifically, Kopay competed in the NFL for about 10 years, playing as a running back for teams such as the San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, and Green Bay Packers.

Over the years, Kopay was featured as a cover star on Out's sister publication, The Advocate, and eventually opened up about having a short romantic fling with Jerry Smith when they were younger. As of 2024, Kopay is 82 years old.

Roy Simmons

The queer history of the NFL also includes Roy Simmons — one of the first few players to come out as gay. After playing as a guard for teams such as the New York Giants, the Washington Commanders, and the Jacksonville Bulls between 1979 and 1985, Simmons came out as gay in 1992 during an episode of The Phil Donahue Show.

Ray McDonald

Running back Ray McDonald played for the Washington Commanders (formerly called the Washington Redskins) between 1967 and 1968. That short NFL career happened as a result of McDonald being arrested in 1968 for reportedly having sex with a man in public (via NBC Sports).

In 1993, at age 48, McDonald passed away from complications related to HIV.

Esera Tuaolo

From Honolulu, Hawaii, defensive tackle Esera Tuaolo played in the NFL for teams like the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, and Carolina Panthers. Upon retiring from football in 1999, Tuaolo didn't take long to come out as gay and become a huge advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

Tuaolo showcased his singing chops in 2017 by competing on The Voice season 13 and making it all the way to the "Playoffs" round. And, even more recently, Tuaolo was honored as an "Educator" on the 2024 Out100 list.

Kwame Harris

Kwame Harris played as an offensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders throughout his career as an active NFL athlete in the 2000s.

In 2012, Harris was accused of assaulting an ex-boyfriend, which meant that he was basically outed during that process (via USA Today). However, as reported by CBS News, the football star came out on an official basis in an interview with CNN from 2013.

Wade Davis

Wade Davis' football career included the time he spent in teams like the Tennessee Titans, Berlin Thunder, Seattle Seahawks, Barcelona Dragons, and the Washington Commanders in the 2000s.

Brad Thorson

Offensive lineman Brad Thorson briefly played for the Arizona Cardinals in 2011. A few years later, in 2014, the football player came out as gay in a blog post shared on Independence Day.

Ryan O'Callaghan

Ryan O'Callaghan competed in the NFL as an offensive tackle for teams like the New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs. He was an active football player in the league between 2006 and 2011. He came out as gay in 2017 during an interview with Outsports.

Michael Sam

Michael Sam came out as a gay man in 2014 during an interview with ESPN, which became (at the time) the biggest coming-out story in the history of the NFL. Upon being drafted to play for the St. Louis Rams, Sam famously kissed his boyfriend on camera (as seen in a video report from What's Trending) and started a massive controversy in the world of sports.

On one side, the LGBTQ+ community actively rooted for Sam to have a successful career as an out gay football player. On the opposite end, many sports fans and pundits opposed Sam's inclusion in the NFL after he came out. Moreover, they heavily criticized Sam's choice to kiss his boyfriend on camera after being drafted… even though players kissing their significant others after being drafted was an incredibly common practice for all (straight) athletes in the league.

Sam has ultimately prevailed over that period of hatred, and we LOVE to see it.

Colton Underwood

As a tight end, Colton Underwood was an active NFL player between 2014 and 2016. He played for the San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Oakland Raiders during that period, but would eventually become even more famous for his original stint on The Bachelorette, his leading role on The Bachelor, and his highly publicized coming-out story shared in 2021.

As of late, Underwood has been with his husband Jordan C. Brown for a few years. The couple also welcomed their first baby, Bishop, in September 2024.

Ryan Russell

Ryan Russell, otherwise known as R.K. Russell, was a defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Buffalo Bills between 2015 and 2018.

In 2019, Russell came out as bisexual in an essay published by ESPN. This passion for writing subsequently led Russell to write a memoir, The Yards Between Us, released in 2023.

Carl Nassib

Carl Nassib came out as gay in 2021 and became the first-ever active player in the NFL to do so. After playing for the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Las Vegas Raiders from 2016 to 2022, Nassib has since retired from football. He is currently focusing his efforts on Rayze — an app that intends to revolutionize the world of philanthropy.