Minnesota Vikings player Adrian Peterson recently made headlines when he revealed that he doesn’t support marriage equality. Now the NFL star is back in the news as he claims that he would not have a problem playing with a gay teammate.
In a recent interview with the Oklahoman, Peterson, who is the reigning NFL MVP, explained that it wouldn’t bother him to have a gay teammate, although it would be uncomfortable for him in the more intimate settings of football.
“Simple things, as far as showers and things like that, you know, of course, anyone would be uncomfortable,” Peterson said. “But you know, I’m a grown man. There’s things that I can deal with. I’m comfortable in my skin.”
Despite his concerns, Peterson said that he’d still embrace any gay teammate and that he’d have no problem showing them the same male affection uniquely and nearly exclusively tied to team sports that he’d show any other teammate.
“I’ll still high-five them. Pat them on the butt when he’s doing good and go on about my business,” Peterson explained.
All irony and sarcasm aside, we commend Peterson for saying that he would embrace having a gay teammate. Although he’s clearly uncomfortable becoming sexually objectified through a male gaze, we’d recommend that he just relax, take any (possible) respectful glimpses as flattery and listen to the sage words of T-Pain about gay men’s assumed desire for straight men.
Check out some other athletes who claim to not have problem with a gay teammate below. – nicholas robinson
