The National Football League plans to drop an ad titled "It Takes All Of Us" during Sunday Night Football this weekend. The ad features prominent former members of the League who are openly bisexual or gay, including Jeff Rohrer, R.K. Russell, Wade Davis and Ryan O'Callaghan.
"To all current players who are thinking of coming out, when you are ready, so are we," Rohrer, Russell, Davis and O'Callaghan said.
Current players then come on to show their support from their teammates that are part of the LGBTQ community.
"It takes all of us, and you deserve to be all you," current players Rob Gronkowski, DeAndre Hopkins, and Calais Campbell said.
According to NFL Executive Vice President Troy Vincent, this is part of a broader approach to supporting players.
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"There has never been a single active player that has come out. While I'm sure I've played with LGBTQ+ players -- highly skilled, athletic and effective at their jobs -- they did not come out. But they were my teammates and part of the larger NFL family," Vincent said in a statement. "Anyone in the player community who may be considering coming out, know this -- I am committed to serving as a conduit to help you through that journey -- either myself, in collaboration with my teammates at the league office, or through the many organizations with whom we partner on LGBTQ+ issues. We have no way of knowing if an active NFL player would choose to come out, or what they might experience. What I do know is that I am committed to celebrate, support, and welcome them."
The NFL has also teamed up with GLADD and the Trevor Project to create LGBTQ content for the remainder of the month. According to CNN, October is LGBTQ+ History Month.
