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    Minnesota Governer Suspcious Of Chris Kluwe's Departure From Vikings

    "I just think sports officials ought to be honest about what the heck is going on, same way I think public officials should be honest about what's going on."

    Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton believes Vikings officials were dishonest in the reasons given for the release of punter Chris Kluwe.

    There has been speculation Kluwe was cut for being too outspoken with LGBT rights issues.

    The AP reports that both the Vikings and general manager Rick Spielman have been, "adamant that the decision was strictly football related."

    Gov. Dayton stated at a news conference:

    "Yeah, I don't feel good about it...I'm not in a position to evaluate the relative punting abilities, but it seems to me the general manager said, right after the draft, they were going to have competition...Well, they bring the one guy in, he kicks for a weekend and that's competition?"

    Another outspoken NFL player, Brendan Ayanbadejo, was recently released from the Baltimore Ravens.

    Ayanbadejo told Newsday about his release:

    "I was a vocal guy and garnered a lot of attention. I brought a lot of issues with me to the Super Bowl and the issues came up at the Super Bowl. My bark is louder than my bite. I make a lot of noise and garner a lot of attention for various things off the football field. When that starts happening, why do you have that player around?"

    He later clarified that the release did not stem from his LGBT activism:

    The Ravens have been backing me, they knew my stance for years and have been facilitating me and organizing me with LGBT and set me up with Equality Maryland. They helped me. If they didn't like what I was doing, they would have cut me a long time ago."

    After being cut, Ayanbadejo discussed the possibility of a few gay NFL players coming out with the Baltimore Sun:

    With both Ayanbadejo and Kluwe cut from their respective teams, the supposed momentum towards a current NFL player may experience a bit of a hiccup. Whether or not their terminations were connected, in part, to their LGBT advocacy, it's hard to see how letting these players go will make it any easier for a closeted NFL player to come out.

    H/T:Towleroad