Dabo Swinney: I played at Alabama with players we felt were gay

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney believes he’s coached gay players and played with them while at Alabama, but a player’s sexual orientation is no one’s business in an interview with 92.9 The Game in Atlanta.

“To be honest with you I don’t get in all that stuff, ” Swinney said. “I don’t think it is anyone’s business what their sexual orientation is. This is football. I have a lot of personal beliefs that I believe in, but I can’t transfer those to the football field. On third-and-2 or third-and-15, you need the best football player.

“When I was at Alabama there were a couple of guys, as a player, that we felt like that was their sexual orientation. But it was never an issue, never a problem. It’s not something that you run out to tell people.

“Again, you have respect for each individual and their personal beliefs. It’s just like they’re different religions. I’m a Christian, but I’ve coached and played with Muslims and all kind of different religions. It’s not about any of that. Those are personal decisions that people have to make. I mean everyone is going to be judged one day, but it’s not up to me to judge somebody.”

Swinney has his personal beliefs on the subject, and as he said, being gay is not something you run out to tell people, but he won’t let it become an issue as a football coach as he’d welcome anyone who can help his team win football games.

“That’s your job as a teammate, your job as a coach to bring all that together. It’s not just sexual orientation. It’s religious beliefs, it’s background, culture. You are just talking about one thing. There are lots of things that are dividing or potentially dividing factors among people.

Football is a melting pot of different cultures, religions, races and sexual orientations but Swinney won’t judge you and respects your personal beliefs, especially if you can help the team on third-and-2.