What would happen if one of the current best NFL players came out?

We can't know. I'm guessing it would be a mix of things - surprising approval and support mixed with backlash and hate, and a midpoint of "meh." There would be the whole group of "why does he have to talk about it" and "I have no problem, but I'm sick of hearing about it" I'm-not-a-homophobe-but-actually-am homophobes. There would a huge amount of think pieces across the ideological and cultural spectrum and "the big interview" with the player. It would be interesting to see.

The minute his performance declined, regardless of the reason, the homophobes would loudly attribute it to him making a big show of being gay.

Even if the player himself wanted to come out, have a small window of focus with some interviews, and then move on and not really want to address it any longer, it would be impossible to minimize with the current media and social media. But who knows, if he were around long enough, maybe people would just get used to it. People are attracted to newness and novelty and if he could get past that stage.

OP, what do you mean? Nobody would care.

No one cares about anyone being gay except maybe in Saudi Arabia.

R4 and R5, anti-LGBTQ legislation, and the Republican platform suggest otherwise.

It would become a narrative of: “he’s had relationships with women, so this is just a temporary phase.”

He’ll be Kaepernicked.

Patrick and his little princess sissy walk at the games reek of suppressed gay, I want him in me deeply, he's ugly hot to me and I'd beat the shit out if that cunt of his. White trash Barbie bitch

All the McCaffrey boys coming out at once would cause quite the frenzy of masturbation.

Some opposing players would go out of their way to injure him and some asst coaches would put a bounty on his head, paying anyone who did the deed.

[quote]It was then-Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams who implemented the bounty program, which involved a pool of cash that was doled out as bonus money in exchange for causing injuries to opponents, according to the league’s findings. The payments were as much as $1,000 for an opponent who needed to be carted off of the field, and $1,500 for a “knockout” hit, according to the Times-Picayune.

Maybe Jalen Hurts could fit in this conversation. Sorry, but for me he pings to heaven.