Wisconsin Church Cancels Former NFL Player LeRoy Butler's Speech Over Tweet Supporting Jason Collins

Former Green Bay Packers safety LeRoy Butler says a Wisconsin church canceled a speaking engagement he had with them because he congratulated gay NBA center Jason Collins on Twitter after his coming out.

Writes Butler:

“Wow, I was scheduled to speak at a church in WI, and a member said that the pastor wants to cancel my event. I said ok why? Then I was told, because I said congrats to Jason Collins on Twitter,” Butler wrote. “I said really? we have a contract, he said check the moral cause, FYI the fee was $8,500, then I was told if I removed the tweet, and apologize and ask god forgiveness, I can have the event. I said no, only god can judge.”

Butler played eleven years with the Packers and invented the "Lambeau Leap" touchdown celebration.

Gay Kicker Alan Gendreau Not Part Of NFL Draft

Openly gay former Middle Tennessee State placekicker Alan Gendreau received some bad news this weekend when he was not selected to be part of this year's NFL draft. Gendreau took to Twitter to respond as well as provide some insight into his future plans.

"Just an FYI. I am NOT a part of the NFL draft. I am training right now with hopes of landing a tryout at a training camp in a couple months!"

You can watch an ABC News segment in which Gendreau is interviewed, AFTER THE JUMP.

In other news related to the draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected UCLA punter Jeff Locke and the team's current punter & gay ally Chris Kluwe claims the pick, which might put him out of a job, was made due to his vocal support of the LGBT community.

Kluwe told NBC's Pro Football Talks blog yesterday:

“It’s a shame that in a league with players given multiple second chances after arrests, including felony arrests, that speaking out on human rights has a chance of getting you cut.”

NFL to Reinforce Policies Against Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation

After discussions with New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who last month expressed concern over reports that potentional recruits at the NFL Combine were being asked questions to possibly determine whether or not they are gay, the NFL has announced it will be reinforcing policies against discrimination based on sexual orientation, ESPN reports:

The league will circulate its policy to all 32 teams and hang posters in locker rooms explaining the anti-discrimination rules. In addition, the NFL will hold training sessions for league personnel, including rookies and those responsible for hiring and recruiting new players.

The NFL also said it would strengthen its protocols for reporting incidents of discrimination or harassment.

"The NFL has a long history of valuing diversity and inclusion," commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "Discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation is not consistent with our values and is unacceptable in the National Football League."

After investigating, the NFL said it found "no specific violations" at the Combine regarding inappropriate questioning.

NFL Draft Fans Tricked Jimmy Kimmel-Style into Liking College Players That Don't Exist: VIDEO

Proving that NFL fans know as much about college football prospects as Coachella fans know about music, Football Nation pulled a Jimmy Kimmel-style prank outside Radio City Music Hall where the first round of the NFL draft took place last night.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Incidentally, the first round draft picks are here if you're interested. A notable first round pass: fake girlfriend hoaxee Manti Te'o.

The AP notes that it likely wasn't the fake girlfriend which did Te'o in: "Before those revelations, Te'o struggled in the national championship game against Alabama and its offense full of future NFL draft picks, leaving clubs to wonder how he would fare against similar talent in the pros."

Gay, Christian Former Tennessee Kicker Alan Gendreau Wants a Shot at NFL: VIDEO

Outsports' Cyd Zeigler interviews Alan Gendreau, a gay former Middle Tennessee State placekicker and devout Christian who wants a shot at the NFL:

I first met Gendreau four years ago when Outsports ran an anonymous story by sociologist Eric Anderson about the gay kicker. Gendreau was a freshman at MTSU at the time, out to his teammates and embraced by them. He didn’t reveal his name publicly at the time because he feared how it would affect both his family and his shot at the NFL.

Now openly gay and 23, with a deep-seated confidence in his sexual orientation, Gendreau wants another shot at the pros. This time, he wants to do it open and honest about who he is. This time, he wants to give it everything he has.

The Orlando, Fla., native knew he was gay at a very young age. He came out to friends and family at 16, started dating boys in high school and had on-again, off-again relationships with men through college.

"When you know, you know," he said with a smile.

Watch Outsports' Zeigler interview Gendreau, AFTER THE JUMP...

And read Gendreau's full story at Outsports.

NFL Trains Security Team in Case a Gay Player Comes Out

The NFL is preparing in case a gay player comes out of the closet, USA Today reports:

Should an NFL player or players come out, "Our league and team security people would be ready to monitor any kind of public reaction that might not be appropriate, including scrubbing social media" for potential threats, Aiello said. "We would assist the player in dealing with any adverse public reaction of any type, if there is any. Hopefully there wouldn't be and it would be a non-issue, which it should be."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello also said that senior officials have met with three LGBT organizations, one of which is the You Can Play Project, which yesterday announced a groundbreaking partnership with the NHL.