Ex-Patriots, Chiefs OT Ryan O’Callaghan Comes Out As Gay

Former New England Patriots offensive tackle Ryan O’Callaghan revealed he is gay in an article on Outsports.com on Tuesday, and added that he is confident the NFL would accept a homosexual player in this day and age.

Ryan O’Callaghan Says NFL Teams Would Accept A Gay Player

“I’m pretty positive now that teams would accept a gay player,” O’Callaghan said on the Dan Patrick Show. There’s enough guys in every locker room who truly understand and know that it’s not a choice. In society as a whole, it’s OK. I think there’s enough guys that would rally around, I think some would even go out of their way just to make someone feel accepted.”

The 33-year-old lineman was drafted by the Patriots as a fifth-round pick in 2006 out of the University of California, and played two seasons in New England. He played in 26 games and got seven starts at right tackle before being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, with whom he played from 2009 to 2011. He was not offered a contract after 2011.

O’Callaghan is not the first NFL player to come out as gay. Former defensive end Michael Sam — who played for the then-St. Louis Rams — revealed his sexual orientation privately to his University of Missouri teammates in August 2013, then publicly in February 2014 in an interview with Chris Connelly on ESPN’s “Outside the Lines.”

“Being gay wasn’t just a small detail in my life, it consumed it,” O’Callaghan said. “It’s all I would think about. But now that I have come out, it rarely crosses my mind. Yeah, I’d go about my daily life in football, but thinking about hiding it and hoping no one finds out and being ready for any situation was exhausting.”

O’Callaghan added that he hopes him sharing his story will prevent others from feeling as frustrated as he is.

“As long as there are people killing themselves because they are gay,” he said, “there is a reason for people like me to share my story and try to help.”

FOXBORO – JULY 28: Guard Ryan O’Callaghan #68 of the New England Patriots works out during the first summer training camp practice on July 28, 2006 at Gillete Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)