Jim Miller in 2012 (Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports)
Former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim Miller says that gay players won't be accepted in the NFL because of strong religious beliefs of many players.
“There are some religions that are just not going to accept a gay individual in the locker room,” Miller told “The McNeil and Spiegel Show” on WSCR-AM 670. “So now, are you as an organization going to bring that element into your locker room and think everything is going to be OK?
Former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim Miller says that gay players won’t be accepted in the NFL because of strong religious beliefs of many players.
“There are some religions that are just not going to accept a gay individual in the locker room,” Miller told “The McNeil and Spiegel Show” on WSCR-AM 670. “So now, are you as an organization going to bring that element into your locker room and think everything is going to be OK?
“Last time I checked, whether it’s Christianity or Muslims or other religions that are out there, they’re just not going to accept it. They’re just not. It’s just not realistic for [Pro Football Talk’s] Mike Florio or any progressive or liberal to think that everything is going to be OK in the locker room and we should all just wise up and accept it.”
Asked his stance on whether gays should be accepted, Miller said, “I could care less. You can play football or you can’t. I’m just giving you my point of view that certain factions of a locker room will not accept it. … That’s the reality of the situation.”
Miller, now an NFL analyst, is exposing his own problems with gay players while seeming to indicate he would have been fine with it. This is the giveaway: “Any progressive or liberal to think that everything is going to be OK in the locker room and we should all just wise up and accept it.” Wising up? Accepting it? Miller sounds like someone who thinks a gay player is better off staying in the closet because it might offend some people’s religion (namely, his).
Last I checked, there is no religious test to play in the NFL and besides, management is not in the habit of polling players before they draft someone. I don’t doubt that some “factions” will be opposed in a locker room and could cite religion as a justification, but no team of 53 people is going to agree on everything. Miller is the classic concern troll and his comments are just weird.
