Report: Chris Kluwe to Join Oakland Raiders, Take Gay-Rights Activism to Bay Area

Former Vikings punter Chris Kluwe is perhaps better known for his gay-rights activism and Twitter persona than his play on the field. When he was cut by Minnesota, he even suggested that the team’s decision could be the result of his outspoken nature.

But, hey, if you’re an outspoken advocate of gay rights, what better place to be than the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area?

On Wednesday, fellow gay-rights advocate and NFL free agent Brendon Ayanbadejo broke the news that Kluwe had signed with the Oakland Raiders in a post for FoxSports.com. It’s unclear precisely what Ayanbadejo’s role with Fox Sports is, but he also wrote for the Santa Cruz Sentinel during his first couple of seasons in the NFL.

In any case, Kluwe told Ayanbadejo that he was signing with Oakland, and that it would be announced by the team Thursday. Kluwe grew up in California and attended UCLA.

“I’m excited to be an Oakland Raider and be playing in California,” Kluwe told Ayanbadejo. “Now, my family can actually come to games.”

And, for the record, Kluwe says he’ll continue to be outspoken.

“I’m still going to be myself socially and continue to tweet and interact with my fans,” Kluwe said.