Kwame Harris Speaks Out
A few months after the public learned that former 49er Kwame Harris is gay, he’s now speaking out about his experience being closeted in the NFL.
On Friday morning, Harris appeared in his first interview since an alleged assault of an ex-boyfriend publicly outed the former NFL offensive tackle. The interview aired on CNN Newsroom and can be seen in the video above.
In the interview — filmed at Stanford where he played his college ball — Harris discusses how painful it was to keep his sexuality a secret.
“You want to escape the despair and turmoil and your mind goes to dark places,” Harris said. “… I’m happy today, and I’m glad they were just ideas and I didn’t act on any of them.”
Harris said he never considered coming out during his playing days (no NFL player ever has), but that in retrospect, he wishes he could have found the “strength and the fortitude” to do so.
Harris was drafted by the 49ers in 2003 and played five seasons in San Francisco before a year-long stint with the Oakland Raiders. He was released by the Raiders after the 2008 season and has been out of football ever since.
“I’m gay. I’m a former athlete. And I think I’m a pretty normal guy,” Harris said.
"Fear Eats the Soul"
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