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Former Cowboys LB Comes Out and Will Be First NFL Player in Same Sex Marriage

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Former Cowboys LB Jeff Rohrer

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As a linebacker helping lead Yale to Ivy League championships, while he was starting with the mid-1980s Dallas Cowboys, for nearly all of his life, Jeff Rohrer kept a secret.

Or more precisely, he kept lying to himself.

But once Rohrer started telling the truth to himself and those in his life, he found that he never had anything to fear.

‘What am I going to do, come out then?’

The 53rd overall pick in the 1982 draft, Rohrer played at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds. He was a reserve for his first three seasons, but started 40 games from 1985-87. During training camp in 1988, Rohrer needed surgery for a bulging disc in his lower back, and missed the entire season.

In 1989, the Cowboys hired Jimmy Johnson, and Rohrer was cut as Johnson remade the roster.

During all of that time, Rohrer did his best to play the role of “straight” football player with teammates and family, internally wrestling with what he knew was his truth: He is gay.

“Living with my family in that [Southern California] community, it was not acceptable,” Rohrer told OutSports. “That was not part of the plan, and it wasn’t going to happen. When I went to Yale, it was the same thing there. And then I got drafted by the Cowboys. What am I going to do, come out then?”

And long-held stereotypes didn’t help.

“Football is a gladiator sport. It’s very, very physical, very tough. At least at this point in our society, toughness is not associated with the gay community. It’s not a natural fit to a lot of people,” Rohrer said.

Despite his fears, Rohrer doesn’t recall hearing any gay slurs in the Cowboys locker room.

Rohrer was married to a woman (they’ve now been divorced for a decade), had two children, and lived a life he enjoyed; after his NFL career ended, he moved back to California and is now a successful television commercial producer.

“So many nights I cried myself to sleep, feeling like I was the Wolfman, or Jekyll and Hyde, or Frankenstein, some kind of monster that only comes out when it’s a full moon, always living in the shadows,” he said.

But just a few years ago, now in his mid-50s, Rohrer finally stopped living in the shadows.

Teammates accept Rohrer after he comes out

Three years ago, Rohrer went to a popular gay bar in West Hollywood after work and met a man named Joshua Ross.

This weekend, the two will be married. Rohrer is the first known former NFL player to be part of a same-sex marriage.

Rohrer came out to a few of his former teammates, but word spread quickly to others. He’s been nearly universally supported, in a way he never imagined.

It makes him emotional to talk about it.

The kindness of my friends and my family and my teammates … It’s just been [expletive] ridiculous how nice they have been, and how supportive. And how they don’t care about any of that. They just love me, they always have. Nothing’s changed. Nothing’s changed.”

Longtime NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, who recently retired, was part of Dallas’ public relations staff when Rohrer was with the franchise. He acknowledged to the New York Times it would have been taboo for a player to come out as gay during the era Rohrer played, but that the NFL and member teams have worked “to ensure tolerance and inclusion.”

“Jeff was a bright and very personable guy that everyone liked,” Aiello said. “People who really know Jeff will be happy for him, and proud of him for living his truth.”

‘I feel like I’m 16. I feel revived’

Rohrer will celebrate his 60th birthday on Christmas (at least one invitee to the wedding thought Rohrer was joking about who he was marrying and that it was a way to announce a 60th birthday party), but said he feels “like I’m 16. I feel revived” as he readies to begin his new life with Ross, who is a skin-care expert.

During Rohrer’s time with the Cowboys, the team wasn’t too successful. But as a commercial producer, he’s seen his work play during the Super Bowl, including ads for Doritos, Heinz, and the NFL – he was behind the “Super Bowl Baby Legends” commercialthat ran during Super Bowl LI.

Rohrer knows not everyone will be as positive about his marriage as many in his life have been, and he’s accepted that. He’s living his truth.

“People are born gay, as I was, though being gay was just something that had no place during the course of my football life,” he said. “But when I got divorced, I said the hell with it, I’m going to do what I’ve always wanted to do. Then I found Josh, and began to openly live the life I was born to live.”

 

 

Surprised it wasn't Jason Garret...

Good for him. Troy Vincent is a guy that my office works with pretty often and he came out a few years ago about how he had played with plenty of gay guys in his day. 

The gist was - it was never an issue. These guys obviously weren't out to the media but everyone in the locker room knew it and respected it and kept the focus on ball. 

Article: https://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/nfl-exec-former-miami-dolphin-troy-vincent-gay-players-were-big-deal-teams-90s/i9SaLhT620dvTx6jm75BGK/

Btw - Troy is a phenomenal dude and one of the few bright spots when it comes to the FO in the NFL. 

Edited by ztejas

I have no issue with it....but damn, did he have to marry his son?

His partner resembles a Ken doll. Plastic surgery?

Just now, rungeflash said:

I have no issue with it....but damn, did he have to marry his son?

Lmao totally. The concept? Whatever floats your boat. But that pairing seems a little... strange... gay or not. 

Fitting it would be a Cowboy...

Good for him. Troy Vincent is a guy that my office works with pretty often and he came out a few years ago about how he had played with plenty of gay guys in his day. 
The gist was - it was never an issue. These guys obviously weren't out to the media but everyone in the locker room knew it and respected it and kept the focus on ball. 
Article: https://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/nfl-exec-former-miami-dolphin-troy-vincent-gay-players-were-big-deal-teams-90s/i9SaLhT620dvTx6jm75BGK/

Btw - Troy is a phenomenal dude and one of the few bright spots when it comes to the FO in the NFL. 
Don't you mean they kept the focus on balls?
5 minutes ago, NWAustinDude said:

We need to be sensiteth about gayness.

So funny 

Fitting it would be a Cowboy...

More fitting if it was you
2 minutes ago, Whatever said:
38 minutes ago, ztejas said:
Good for him. Troy Vincent is a guy that my office works with pretty often and he came out a few years ago about how he had played with plenty of gay guys in his day. 
The gist was - it was never an issue. These guys obviously weren't out to the media but everyone in the locker room knew it and respected it and kept the focus on ball. 
Article: https://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/nfl-exec-former-miami-dolphin-troy-vincent-gay-players-were-big-deal-teams-90s/i9SaLhT620dvTx6jm75BGK/

Btw - Troy is a phenomenal dude and one of the few bright spots when it comes to the FO in the NFL. 

Read more  

Don't you mean they kept the focus on balls?

Lol.

More jokes please!

I'm guessing the little dude is the bitch?  If not, maybe it's like the Saddam/Devil relationship in the South Park movie.

Which one is he, the guy on the left, or the right?

 

CHIEF

  • Author
Which one is he, the guy on the left, or the right?
 
CHIEF
I'm guessing the Cowboys would have been in trouble if the guy on the right played LB for them in the 80s or any point in time.
Lol.
More jokes please!
I was proud of my incredible cleverness. But then again, I'm a dad with bad dad jokes.

Wow. He is so brave for marrying someone 25 years younger than him. I also love all the stories the NYT does about how brave and inspirational ex pro athletes that marry women that are 25 years younger than them.

24 minutes ago, Whatever said:
58 minutes ago, Agent47 said:
Lol.
More jokes please!

I was proud of my incredible cleverness. But then again, I'm a dad with bad dad jokes.

You sound more like a homophobe desperate for rep

This thread needs to not be on this forum*

Edited by ztejas

Lmao totally. The concept? Whatever floats your boat. But that pairing seems a little... strange... gay or not. 

So if he was an older retired football player marrying a much younger tiny woman would you say the same thing?
  • Author
1 minute ago, ztejas said:

This thread needs to not be on this forum*

Ok thread police. I will take that under consideration. You seem very uptight on here quite a bit.

 

As in regards to the subject of this thread.....

giphy.gif

Edited by LTtxfan

1 minute ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:


So if he was an older retired football player marrying a much younger tiny woman would you say the same thing?

Yes - hence "gay or not". Learn to read. 

2 minutes ago, Vic Mackey said:

Ok thread police. I will take that under consideration. You seem very uptight on here quite a bit.

It's inviting political bullshit and barely about football. Call me what you want but "uptight" ain't the right descriptor. 

Cowboys defense today definitely does not like to touch men

  • Author
2 minutes ago, ztejas said:

It's inviting political bullshit and barely about football. Call me what you want but "uptight" ain't the right descriptor. 

Lmao at neg repping. You are constantly a uptight pussy on here and bitch constantly. Weren't you crying about neg rep and derailed the Zach Smith thread? Fuck off.

Edited by Vic Mackey

  • Author
2 minutes ago, EuroHorn said:

Cowboys defense today definitely does not like to touch men

Be careful, you will trigger ztejas...

7 minutes ago, Vic Mackey said:

Lmao at neg repping.

 

7 minutes ago, Vic Mackey said:

Weren't you crying about neg rep

Way to contradict yourself in a 100 character post retard

30 minutes ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:


So if he was an older retired football player marrying a much younger tiny woman would you say the same thing?

Why not?  I’d say the same shit about both. Whatever a couple of consenting adults decide to do w eachother doesn’t bother me in the least. 

 

Riding on the range

I've got my hat........on

I've got my boots.....dusty

I wanna be a cowboy

and you can be my cowboy

I played with a pretty good DT in HS who was gay. He never confirmed his sexual orientation but it was pretty obvious. He was respected in the locker room because he was a physically imposing dude who would lay motherfuckers out on the field. 

2 minutes ago, CastHorn said:

I played with a pretty good DT in HS who was gay. He never confirmed his sexual orientation but it was pretty obvious. He was respected in the locker room because he was a physically imposing dude who would lay motherfuckers out on the field. 

No reason to get so graphic towards the end, we got what you were saying.

4 hours ago, rungeflash said:

I have no issue with it....but damn, did he have to marry his son?

NTTIAWWT

It looks like he went and searched for a little gay dude with "always gonna look like a little boy" syndrome. That first picture looks max pervert. Damn. 

His twink is mid 30s but yeah looks much younger. 

He was a good dude with the Cowboys. Never bitched and was cool with the media though did have a hold out for a bit but that's business. 

Edited by Junior Miller

6 hours ago, ztejas said:

It's inviting political bullshit and barely about football. Call me what you want but "uptight" ain't the right descriptor. 

 

11 hours ago, Blanton said:

His partner resembles a Ken doll. Plastic surgery?

Skin care expert. Didn't know you could be considered an expert in skin care at age 18.

9 hours ago, EuroHorn said:

Cowboys defense today definitely does not like to touch men

You are an idiot by the way...

Dallas is currently tied for 4th in the NFL for fewest points allowed.

Try again.

 

35 minutes ago, Steamboat1874 said:

You are an idiot by the way...

Dallas is currently tied for 4th in the NFL for fewest points allowed.

Try again.

 

Damn this is rare.  A Cowboys fan that still defends the team.  I gave up on that over a decade ago.  You’re like an active gay NFL player...we know you exist, but never hear from you.  Props, I think.  

12 minutes ago, ChiTownDoc said:

Damn this is rare.  A Cowboys fan that still defends the team.  I gave up on that over a decade ago.  You’re like an active gay NFL player...we know you exist, but never hear from you.  Props, I think.  

Just stating the facts.

Not defending anyone but the Cowboys actually are.

1 hour ago, SHOOTER12 said:

Rhinestone Cowboy?

Outstanding.

2 hours ago, CfRhTxStBobcats said:

Skin care expert. Didn't know you could be considered an expert in skin care at age 18.

Too much skin care. Looks creepy as shit. 

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