NFL Prospect Says Atlanta Falcons Coach Asked Him If He's Gay

Former Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple claimed an Atlanta Falcons coach asked him if he is gay during a recent meeting at this year's NFL Scouting Combine.

Apple reportedly said,

The Falcons coach, one of the coaches, was like, 'So, do you like men?' It was, like, the first thing he asked me. It was weird. I was just like, 'No.' He was like, 'If you're going to come to Atlanta, sometimes, that's how it is around here. You're going to have to get used to it.'

He reportedly added,

I guess he was joking, but they just ask most of these questions to see how you're going to react.

It appears Apple was indeed asked that ridiculous line of questioning because Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn released the following statement:

I am really disappointed in the question that was asked by one of our coaches. I have spoken to the coach that interviewed Eli Apple and explained to him how inappropriate and unprofessional this was. I have reiterated this to the entire coaching staff and I want to apologize to Eli for this even coming up. This is not what the Atlanta Falcons are about and it is not how we are going to conduct ourselves.

I know NFL prospects are asked series of wide-ranging and often bizarre questions at the NFL Scouting Combine every year, but this Falcons coach crossed the line by questioning Apple's sexual orientation. It might be time for the league to intervene a bit in the questioning process.

Citations: Eli Apple: Falcons coach asked me if I'm gay during meeting (ESPN)