The extra cameras and microphones about during Super Bowl week always seem to turn up unexpected stories and this year is no exception.
49ers cornerback Chris Culliver’s become an unlikely focus of attention on Wednesday thanks to comments he made on a radio show Tuesday. Culliver said that he would not welcome a gay teammate and said he thought players who were gay should wait until long after they’re retired before revealing that part of themselves. There’s been a quick condemnation of Culliver’s insensitive and homophobic remarks from many corners, including Culliver’s employers.
The 49ers released a statement Wednesday afternoon that was much more in line with the 49ers’ past support for anti-bullying campaigns directed at lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender youth.
“The San Francisco 49ers reject the comments that were made yesterday, and have addressed the matter with Chris. There is no place for discrimination within our organization at any level. We have and always will proudly support the LGBT community.”
The normal cycle of these things calls for an apology from Culliver. We’d expect to hear one on Thursday at the latest. The condemnation from the 49ers and so many others mean more for making sure the NFL is inclusive of all people, though.