By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
It’s no secret that professional sports leagues aren’t without gay players, but for some reason it’s always been believed that any gay man who plays professional sports would most likely keep his sexual orientation hidden from his teammates. So when reports came out that NFL star Kerry Rhodes was gay and suspect pictures of him with another man began to spread like wildfire on the gossip blogs, he felt he had to shut down the rumors quickly. So the athlete decided to deny he was gay to TMZ reporters and attempted to move past the speculation. However, Kerry’s life took a drastic turn when one of his alleged boyfriends decided to start talking to the blogs and he claimed he and Kerry were so serious that the football star gave him an engagement ring. He also claimed that the whole team knew about their relationship and even the wives knew. And for that reason, he felt he was more so of a wife to Kerry than a lover. Kerry has gone silent since his alleged ex lover has been talking, but it now appears that a NFL journalist might also be confirming Kerry’s secret life. Amid all the reports about Kerry’s alleged boyfriend talking to the press, Journalist Mike Freeman writes about a certain football player who had a boyfriend the whole team knew about, including the wives:
It turns out that for the past few years, with no one watching, an NFL team — with its machismo and tough guys — had reached a certain understanding with one of its players. The player was gay, many on the team knew it, and no one cared.
The player was not openly gay but several of the player’s friends on the team knew it. A good dozen players on the team were aware the player dated men, several players on the team told CBSSports.com.
“It was the worst kept secret on the team,” said one player. “Many of us knew and we didn’t care at all.”
CBSSports.com is declining to name the player since the player has not openly declared himself gay.
One of the main reasons players have not come out as openly gay in NFL locker rooms has been due to fear of repercussions from teammates, coaches and fans.
But if players on this team knew their teammate was gay, and accepted him, this would represent a possibly dramatic shift in the entire idea that an openly gay man could exist in the NFL.
“We saw him as a player,” said the teammate, “not as a gay player.”
According to players, members of the coaching staff knew the player was gay and the wives of the players as well.
We figure the writer is talking about Kerry Rhodes for a couple of reasons. For one, the journalist goes on to say that the certain player played on the team he is referring to in the article last year and the team he played for right before that team knew about his lifestyle as well. And well Kerry is now a free agent, but he played for the Arizona Cardinals from 2010-2012, however, he played for the New York Jets from 2005-2009. And the biggest clue is the timing.
Now it sounds like the players in the league don’t really care what their teammates are doing in the bedroom, and we couldn’t agree more. So perhaps players aren’t hiding their lifestyles from their peers, but most likely the fans.
Well I’m glad his teammates were being cool about it. Eventually fans are going to just have to accept and understand that there are gay men who play professional sports. And it shouldn’t matter!
Okay.. so he’s gay.. so what. Shouldn’t he be the one to tell everybody, IF he wants too? Why do people go out of their way to get into somebody else’s business?
Thank you well said. I was tripping off the fact that the ex-lover had to come out and say something, why because you bitter because he don’t want to be with you anymore? I really don’t see what the big deal is.
I really feel bad for Kerry. For some reason I don’t think he was out here still messing with women, especially if his team knew he was gay. He just wasn’t ready to tell the whole world yet. Too bad he doesn’t have a choice anymore.
Crazy. I have to say I agree with his ex boyfriend. If he wasn’t ready to come out the closet, he shouldn’t have said ANYTHING about it. When he came out saying he wasn’t gay and ole boy was just a brother to him, he shouldn’t be surprised it went left. Lies bring more problems. Always.
And lastly, why does one have to keep the fact that they are gay a secret? I saw someone on here (Ms. Thang) say well so what, he shouldn’t have to tell anyone! Umm that’s stupid. Do straight people hide the fact that they are straight? No, they don’t. So why in the hell do gay people have to keep their lives a secret? Get out of here with that. They deserve the same rights we do to be completely open with who they are.
*Standing Ovation* I really couldn’t agree more. I’ve always wondered that. People are so quick to say gays should be able to tell people when they are ready or be in the closet however long they need to, but they shouldn’t have to! No one hides their heterosexuality, so that’s absurd to me. I think we should encourage them to be who they are and not have to be ashamed of it. Stop encouraging them to keep who they are a secret. Smh.
But straight people don’t go around announcing or denying they are straight either.
See you’re missing what I said. I didn’t say anything about announcing anything. I said straight people don’t hide who they are and what their preference is. Straight people go out in public, hold hands, date, and they don’t have to lie about it, do they? Gays deserve the same rights in society. Kerry shouldn’t have to lie and tell TMZ he isn’t gay or his BF is his “brother” because he’s afraid of what people will say about it. That is my point.
YES!!!!!
You missed MY point. I agree with everything you just said but I have met gay people who feel the need to proclaim their preference every chance they get. I think what you do in the privacy of your bedroom should remain private. If you don’t want the world to know who you are dating then that is your right. Fact of the matter is Kerry come out could have an effect on his career. The effect may not be necessarily negative but it seems that he did not want this aspect of his life to public.Gay obsession is crazy and people should be allowed to live the way they want to.
Got it. Makes sense.
He’s Been A Free Agent B4 The Rumors Speculated So The Fact That He’s Gay Has Nothing To Do With His Career. If You Can’t Be Real With Yourself How You Gon Be Real With Anybody? Gay Is Being Happy So If Its What You Prefer Just Go With It. Look At Frank Ocean, It Hasn’t Hurt Him One Bit!
THANK YOU! No one should have to hide anything! God is the only judge! And we all fall short of the glory of God!
I’m gay and I agree!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hmmm, see your point, but I don’t think any of the people involved in the controversy are necessarily right. If Kerry DID have a relationship with Hollywood, then why deny it? Yea..yea..privacy and all of that, but how was this man (Hollywood) supposed to feel when he denied his very existence? I think people are trying to give Kerry Rhodes a pass because he is a football player and ‘somewhat’ a celebrity. If you listen to the interviews that Hollywood gave ( and stop judging him as a QUEEN and Flamboyant..) then people might take what he has said for face value. Besides, Hollywood has stated that he didn’t release the first photographs that came out – so it sounds like to me that he is just trying to clear his name and defend himself from people who keep calling him a liar. We didn’t vilify the boys who accused Eddie Long of this – was it because they seemed more MASCULINE to us, and therefore, acceptable? Nobody called them Messy Queens – and they willingly slept with a pastor who they knew was married! And before anybody says this is apple and oranges – remember that those guys were past the age of consent and knew full well what they were doing
Wow. If he can tell his team and they are cool, the fans should be able to handle it too. Someone’s sexual preference has nothing to do with the abilities to play the sport.
At this point, he’s already been outed. Everyone knows now. There’s no denying it. He should find some peace and freedom in that and just show everyone that it doesn’t even matter when he gets on that football field. But no more lies.
This reporter is messy as hell…
Yeah, those pictures pretty much confirmed things for me already. LOL.
I really don’t think other people should push someone else out the closet. It’s just all kinds of wrong. But I don’t think anyone hould have to be in the closet in the first place. It’s messed up that people are still so ignorant about gays that they still don’t feel comfortable enough to be themselves a lot of the times. It’s only God’s place to judge.
Damn. I think Kerry should be able to talk when he’s ready to. Between this reporter and his ex, it’s just one big mess.
It’s been a tough week for Kerry Rhodes. Yikes.
If his teammates and coaches didn’t care, why would the fans care? This proves to me that NFL fans are bigots.
Kerry probably wishes he never said what he said to TMZ. Sometimes it’s best to say NOTHING. #RealTalk
I can see the logic of most of the comments on here. God is the only judge and people should be able to be open and free with who they are….. Unfortunately though, that’s not reality. And while I do my best to prevent conforming to the world and its ways, we all fall short in one way or another. His denying it didn’t speak deception to me. Yes it was a lie, but I don’t think it was out of malice. That was fear. That was trying to protect an image that is ACCEPTED more so than the one that truly exists under the facade. Because of the stigma associated with anything other that heterosexuality, I do believe a person should be able to deal with their truth in their own way on their own time. We (on urban belle) are such a small percentage of the mass amount of people that are negative, hurtful, and ignorant when it comes to anything other that what is looked to as being “right.” Obviously, if his team knew, this goes beyond football for him. And for these reasons, anybody that “outed” him for WHATEVER reason is wrong. There’s a way to go about correcting situations (lies), but with the times we live in “tell alls” and “keeping it real” has minimized the importance of people’s feelings and consideration of one another. Equality and doing what’s right only sounds good when you’re on the side of the majority. Going against the grain is scary, especially when it’s against your will. So my prayers are with him.
Wow. I feel so bad for this guy. Who wants to be the poster child for gay men in the n.f.l.? His ex does not love him and never did. You don’t hurt people that you care about. I hope that it gets better for him.
If he wanted to keep it a secret he shouldn’t have been exposing everyone around him to the bf. now the bf is outing him and exposing him not only about being gay but being dumb as well. So what if he’s gay, I’m glad the players treated him regular. That just goes to show ppl that gay ppl are just like regular folk. They can play pro and do the same sh-t a straight guy can do
I can see both sides of the issue. Russell Simpson is hurt he feels that Kerry is denying they were a couple who was in love. Kerry Rhodes saying he is not gay to TMZ is obviously a lie. But Russell Hollywood Simpson did NOT have to out Kerry Rhodes. Russell also didn’t have to talk about his sex life with Kerry.
I just hope Kerry Rhodes STOPS LYING he needs to STOP, he needs to got Oprah, or Katie, or CNN, and do a press tour and come out of the closet officially.
If Kerry continues to lie and say he is straight he is only hurting himself, being gay is NOTHING to be shameful of.
I just hope Kerry can see the light here.
But it is terrible that Kerry was BETRAYED by his lover like this. Kerry loved Russell treated him well and for him to turn on Kerry is evil and cruel.
Well honey maybe it wont be soo bad for him after all if he just confirms that he f-cked the sh-t out of the dude but can still play some damn good football as long as he was tested and doesnt have an STD, then he should be able to resume his regular schedule. We will see. So now i guess they don’t care about sharing the locker room with a BOOTY Scratcher