NFL prospect Derrius Guice says team asked about his sexuality
Derrius Guice, considered one of the best running backs in the 2018 NFL Draft class, spent last week in Indianapolis with other NFL hopefuls as they participated in the combine. In addition physical tests -- the 40-yard dash, vertical leap and bench press, for example -- players are also subjected to interviews by teams, and the questions can span the gamut. One topic that's supposed to be off the table: questions about a player's sexuality.
Guice, the former LSU standout, told SiriusXM Radio on Wednesday night that one team violated that rule.
''It was pretty crazy," he said, via USAToday.com. "Some people are really trying to get in your head and test your reaction. I go in one room, and a team will ask me, do I like men, just to see my reaction. I go in another room, they'll try to bring up one of my family members or something and tell me, 'Hey, I heard your mom sells herself. How do you feel about that?'"
It's unclear which team asked Guice the question but two years ago Falcons defensive assistant Marquand Manuel had to apologize for asking Eli Apple about his sexual orientation. Apple was later drafted in the first round by the Giants. Falcons coach Dan Quinn immediately apologized, and the NFL, which described the question then as "disappointing and clearly inappropriate," promised to get to the bottom of what happened.
And in 2013, former Colorado tight end Nick Kasa said during his combine interview he was asked if he liked girls.
NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith's response at the time: "I know that the NFL agrees that these types of questions violate the law, our CBA and player rights."
And on Wednesday Smith offered a simple solution to prevent these types of questions in the future.
"Find out what team did it and ban them from the combine," Smith told PFT Live. "The question is inappropriate. Questions along these lines are always inappropriate."
As happened in the case of Kasa and Apple, the NFL issued a statement.
"A question such as that is completely inappropriate and wholly contrary to league workplace policies," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told Pro Football Talk on Thursday morning. "The NFL and its clubs are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees in a manner that is consistent with our commitment to diversity and inclusion, state and federal laws and the CBA. We are looking into the matter."
McCarthy continued: "The league annually reminds clubs of these workplace policies that prohibit personnel from seeking information concerning a player's sexual orientation."
This article was originally published on CBSSports.com
