49ers Star: Not Down With Gays

"I don't do the gay guys man. I don't do that. No, we don't got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do. Can't be with that sweet stuff. Nah…can't be…in the locker room man. Nah." - San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver, who adds that players should only come out ten years after they leave the sport.  Culliver followed up yesterday's Super Bowl Media Day interview with a charming tweet about menstruating women.

UPDATE: 49ers management has issued an apology. "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."

UPDATE II: Culliver has apologized too. "The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel. It has taken me seeing them in print to realize that they are hurtful and ugly. Those discriminating feelings are truly not in my heart. Further, I apologize to those who I have hurt and offended, and I pledge to learn and grow from this experience."

UPDATE III: Hudson Taylor's Athlete Ally has issued a statement.

"Chris Culliver’s comments are disrespectful, discriminatory and dangerous, particularly for the young people who look up to him. His words underscore the importance of the Athlete Ally movement and the key role that professional athletes play in shaping an athletic climate that affirms and includes gay and lesbian players. Culliver’s views are as marginal as they are misguided. We’re seeing more and more NFL players take a stand against homophobia in sports through our organization and we know that support at this level is only going to grow. Athlete Ally’s NFL Ambassadors Brendon Ayanbadejo of the AFC Champion Baltimore Ravens, Chris Kluwe of the Minnesota Vikings and Scott Fujita of the Cleveland Browns connect our organization and the NFL, help promote the mission to end homophobia in sports by speaking out to their teams, leagues and fan bases, and encourage their colleagues to join in the effort. It’s clear by their involvement and the incredible support they are receiving from NFL fans across the country that discrimination is on the fringe and has absolutely no place in sports.”