Stonestreet: Acceptance will grow for gay athletes

FILE - This Jan. 18, 2014 file photo shows actor Eric Stonestreet arrives at the 20th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles. The two-time Emmy winner plays Cameron Tucker on the hit ABC series. On the show’s season finale, he married his partner, Mitchell, in the landmark episode. Commemorating same sex marriage. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, File) FILE - This Jan. 18, 2014 file photo shows actor Eric Stonestreet arrives at the 20th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles. The two-time Emmy winner plays Cameron Tucker on the hit ABC series. On the show’s season finale, he married his partner, Mitchell, in the landmark episode. Commemorating same sex marriage. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, File)

By Associated Press July 23, 2014 1 min read

NEW YORK (AP) – Actor Eric Stonestreet predicts that one day, it’s not going to take an act of courage for an openly gay person to play in the NFL.

The “Modern Family” star says gay athletes eventually won’t feel they need to keep their sexuality a secret. The two-time Emmy winner’s comments follow announcements by Michael Sam and Jason Collins.

Sam came out as gay before this year’s NFL draft. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams. Collins, who played basketball for the Brooklyn Nets last season, is the first openly gay athlete to play in a professional league in North America.

Stonestreet plays Cameron Tucker, a gay man, on the popular ABC show. In a nod to same sex marriage, Cameron marries his partner in the season finale.