New York Attorney General Reminds NFL That Asking Players About Sexual Orientation Is Illegal in Many States

by NESN Staff on Thu, Mar 14, 2013 at 9:00PM

Manti Te’o‘s strange saga has ended up having repercussions far beyond his own social media fate.

In the wake of the combine, several prospects, including Michigan’s Denard Robinson and Michigan State’s Le’Veon Bell, were asked, indirectly, about their sexual orientation. According to radio interviews the players gave, they were asked questions like “Do you like girls?” by teams they didn’t identify.

But here’s the problem. Although playing in the National Football League may not be viewed as a prototypical career, it is still subject to state and federal laws governing employee-employer relationships, including prospective ones. With that in mind, New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman hand delivered a letter to the NFL and Roger Goodell on Thursday, reminding them that such discrimination is illegal in New York, where the league is based, and 23 states in which NFL teams play.

Schneiderman has asked that the NFL put in place a formal policy banning the practice across the league, and he has given the league one week to respond.

For its part, the NFL did release a statement after the incidents became public condemning the practice. However, it was nonspecific about about potential penalties, saying only violators are “subject to league discipline.”

Check out a copy of the letter below.

Photo of the Night

Sleeveless hoodie, neon shoes and a Polaroid camera around the neck. Darrelle Revis is such a hipster.

Photo via Instagram/darrellerevis24

Tweet of the Night

Even a soon-to-be Hall of Fame pitcher (though the account hasn’t been verified yet, MLB has been treating it as genuine) isn’t above embarrassing his daughter on social media.