After NFL Draft prospect Michael Sam came out last week, which will make him the first openly gay NFL player when he is drafted, the defensive end from Missouri has faced quite a bit of criticism. The potential backlash Sam will face as an openly gay football player led Texas sportscaster Dale Hansen to deliver a speech taking up for gay players on his show Dale Hansen Unplugged. In the monologue, Hansen questions why being gay poses a problem when players that get in trouble for DUI and domestic abuse are welcome in the NFL.

Michael Sam spoke out about his sexuality last week on ESPN and in an interview with The New York Times. “I’m a college graduate. I’m African American, and I’m gay. I’m comfortable in my skin,” Sam said. The move could hurt Sam’s draft stock, but the Missouri player decided to come out about his sexuality instead of letting rumors swirl. “I just want to make sure I could tell my story the way I want to tell it,” said Sam. “I just want to own my truth.”

Sports Illustrated posted a story to their website about the reactions surrounding Sam’s announcement, where writer Matthew Visinsky said that “eight NFL executives and coaches” said the decision will make Sam’s road to the NFL tougher. “I don’t think football is ready for [an openly gay player] just yet,” said an NFL player personnel assistant. “In the coming decade or two, it’s going to be acceptable, but at this point in time it’s still a man’s-man game. To call somebody a [gay slur] is still so commonplace. It’d chemically imbalance an NFL locker room and meeting room.”

The assistant’s comments about Sam not being welcome because of his sexual orientation, because football is a “man’s-man game,” did not sit well with sportscaster Dale Hansen. Hansen went off on the comments during his show, accusing the NFL for being accepting of men who commit crimes while not welcoming a man who loves another man. Check out excerpts from Hansen’s speech below.

Several NFL officials are telling Sports Illustrated it will hurt him on draft day because a gay player wouldn’t be welcome in an NFL locker room. It would be uncomfortable, because that’s a man’s world.

You beat a woman and drag her down a flight of stairs, pulling her hair out by the roots? You’re the fourth guy taken in the NFL draft. You kill people while driving drunk? That guy’s welcome. Players caught in hotel rooms with illegal drugs and prostitutes? We know they’re welcome. Players accused of rape and pay the woman to go away? You lie to police trying to cover up a murder? We’re comfortable with that.

You love another man? Well, now you’ve gone too far!

Watch all of Hansen’s segment below:

Hansen isn’t the only person supportive of the NFL hopeful. Sam commented on his Twitter account that many teammates and NFL players have been supportive of his announcement.

I want to thank everybody for their support and encouragement,especially @espn, @nytimes and @nfl. I am proud to tell my story to the world!

— Michael Sam (@MikeSamFootball) February 10, 2014

Many thanks to the NFL players & legends who vocally supported me @JeromeBettis36 & @DeionSanders were kinda special for me, not gonna lie!

— Michael Sam (@MikeSamFootball) February 10, 2014

Image via YouTube