Connelly: Sam is ready, but is the NFL

There will come a time, perhaps in the not so distant future, when it won’t be news if an athlete says he’s gay.

But that time is not now.

For Michael Sam, the NFL draft prospect who made headlines everywhere Sunday night when he came out as an openly gay man, the easy part is over.

In 2014, the general public is a lot more accepting of someone’s sexual orientation than it was even a decade ago. Having football fans everywhere, many of his former teammates at the University of Missouri, and people from all walks of life showing their support over the last couple days was to be expected.

However Sam is not entering the workforce as a recent college graduate looking for a starter job where he’ll earn minimum wage like most 24-year-olds. No, the profession he’s pursuing, and has done so admirably thus far, is one in which societal norms are not common.

The NFL has been known to have its difficulties catching up with the rest of the world in terms of what’s acceptable and what’s not — or what some like to refer to as locker room behavior.

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark said in an interview with ESPN Sunday night that it’s something the league and its players have been working on and trying to prepare for.

“I understood this moment was coming. I understood that there was going to be a player that was going to be openly gay, whether it be entering the NFL or already on an NFL team,” Clark said. “I think it’s something that we have been prepared for. We felt like more people would be more comfortable with letting people know that they’re gay.”

Clark went on to say that the most important things to have in NFL locker rooms are camaraderie and chemistry and as long as there’s good leadership it shouldn’t be a distraction.

However just because the league has been preparing for it doesn’t mean it’s going to be welcomed with open arms by everyone. Just a week ago New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, in an interview with the NFL Network, spoke with trepidation about having an openly gay teammate.

“I think he would not be accepted as much as we think he would be accepted,” Vilma said. “I don’t want people to just naturally assume, oh, we’re all homophobic. That’s really not the case.

“Imagine if he’s the guy next to me, and you know, I get dressed, naked, taking a shower, the whole nine, and it just so happens he looks at me,” Vilma said. “How am I supposed to respond?”

The real question that should be asked is how ignorant can one be? Anybody who’s ever played organized sports, lived in a college dorm with a community-style bathroom, or even been to a local gym has been around naked people of the same gender. Chances are you’ve changed in front of someone who was gay and didn’t even know it.

This has be one of the most bigoted concerns expressed thus far about having an openly gay man playing in the NFL. However insensitive Vilma’s remarks may have been, he’s not the only current NFL player who feels that way.

Prior to last season, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson said he would embrace a gay teammate, however that doesn’t mean there wouldn’t be uncomfortable moments.

“Simple things, as far as showers and things like that, you know, of course, anyone would be uncomfortable,” Peterson told the Oklahoman last June. “But you know, I’m a grown man. There’s things that I can deal with. I’m comfortable in my skin.

“I’ll still high-five them. Pat them on the butt when he’s doing good, and go on about my business.”

Ask the members of last year’s Missouri football team how many uncomfortable moments they had once Sam told them he was gay prior to the season. Since not one of them felt the need to speak publicly about it – despite Sam never asking them to keep it a secret — it’s safe to say it didn’t bother them.

It’s not just the players either. Sports Illustrated’s Peter King spoke with four club officials for his Monday Morning Quarterback feature on the topic, yet not one of them spoke without anonymity. What does that say about how they think they’ll be received inside the organization and around the league if their name is attached to their comments — positive or negative?

The NFL has been the most popular sport in the country for quite some time now, despite its willingness to employ men with domestic violence histories, substance abuse habits, and even felony convictions. Yet for some reason having an openly gay man, who appears to be strong-willed and comfortable in his own skin, scares some executives away.

I certainly hope sexual orientation doesn’t change what NFL teams think of Michael Sam, who happened to be the Southeastern Conference’s co-Defensive Player of the Year last season. But if it does, that team will be passing on one heck of a football player and, more importantly, one heck of a human being.

However it’s just as naive to think that this won’t be an issue for some, as it is to think that he’s the only gay football player who will be playing in the NFL next season.

He’ll just be the first one to do so openly and for that he deserves all of our respect.

Kevin Connelly is a sportswriter for The Vindicator. Write him at kconnelly@vindy.com and follow him on Twitter, @Connelly_Vindy.