Yesterday a former NFL punter, Chris Kluwe, wrote an article for Deadspin that intimated he was released due to his advocacy in support of gay marriage/gay rights. I doubt very much his outspokenness led to his release. He had other tryouts and didn't make those teams. My guess is his performance was declining, which Kluwe suggests when he mentioned his knee surgery.
Kluwe had, or has, a monster leg. He is well known for out-kicking his coverage toward the end of his tenure. In the NFL, this is indicative of being a poor punter.
Kluwe hoped someone in management would tell him what to do, be quiet or speak up. Management never does that, because formally telling someone to keep their mouth shut can lead to lawsuits. Best to hint it's not a good idea and let the speaker fill in the blanks. Kluwe, a player well-known for his intelligence, failed to connect those dots.
Others doubt he was let go for his comments. However, if the choice came down to him and someone of equal skill, it's doubtful his comments improved his chances of play. Better to have a less highly visible player doing as good a job for a much lower salary. I used Kluwe's story to provide a life lesson for my boys. Understand that saying what you believe is right and just, and shouldn't necessarily be punishable, but sometimes it's better to say nothing. Unless you are your own boss, you should consider yourself replaceable.
The Vikings have said they will look into his allegations. However, the primary statistic for punting success, pinning opponents inside the 20, had dropped to a new low his final season.
Did someone in the organization say or do something 'wrong'? Probably, in today's world we're all guilty of this at some point. Is that meaningful? Not really. I don't support anti-gay slurs, but everyone is allowed to have a point of view. More importantly, when you work for any firm, you need to be careful to not put them at risk, particularly if they make it clear you're stepping on some toes. My guess is Kluwe's skills were in decline, and he didn't help his own case. He certainly doesn't make himself look better as a bitter, petulant complainant. If anything, my respect for his willingness to speak up on issues (even some I disagree with him on) has dropped because he has become so self-serving with this article.
Indeed, I've seen some people suggest Tim Tebow can't find a home in the NFL because of his beliefs. I doubt that is any more true than Kluwe's claims. Even if it is true, Tebow has the good sense to not say anything about it.
