Giants’ Terrell Thomas not sure NFL is ready for an openly gay player
By Mike Dyce
It seems like everyday more and more NFL people are coming out and weighing on the Michael Sam situation and the NFL’s potential first openly gay player. This time, New York Giants cornerback Terrell Thomas is giving his opinion on the matter. Unlike Arizona Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby, who said the media won’t allow Sam to not be a distraction, Thomas focuses on the locker room environment.
“I think society is ready for it and America’s ready for it, but I don’t think the NFL is,” Thomas said, via ESPNNewYork.com. “As a player, all you want to know is if he can play. That’s on the field. But in the locker room, it’s different. There’s a lot of talk and joking around, and some guys walk around completely naked all the time, and they might not want to do that anymore. When you add that situation to the mix, I think it’s going to make some people uncomfortable.
“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 acknowledged that he has likely already played with a gay teammate, but said there is a difference between knowing and not knowing.