The Josh Innes Show - Gay NFL PR Guy Speaks Out

Episode Date: June 2, 2025

Jack Brennan is the former longtime PR guy for the Cincinnati Bengals. He's been out of the league since 2017. He's also queer. He's writing a book about being a closeted queer man in the NFL. We've got a USA Today story featuring an interview with Brennan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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And then she decided she wasn't lesbian. She was in fact queer. Well, now I guess she's straight because she has a boyfriend and she announced it like on the first day of Pride Month. What a kick in the area for people celebrating Pride. They thought they had a hero and instead they have someone who's just a chick fucking a dude and that's kind of the way things go. But it is Pride Month and with that you're going to see a shit ton of stories,

probably about gay people across the board, and that's fine, I don't give a shit. If you're gay, be gay. I have a lot of gay friends and fans. I don't know why, but I think it's because I'm a bear, but that's fine. But anyway, so what does this have to do with what I'm about to talk about?

There is a story in USA Today, because of course there is a story in USA Today and the headline reads, Opinion, Jack Brennan was closeted as Bangles Public Relations Head. He's out now and has a lot to say. By Mike Freeman. First of all, that headline does not sound like an opinion. It says, opinion. Jack Brennan was closeted as Bangle's PR head. That sounds like a fact. He's out now and has a lot to say. That also sounds like a fact. So, but I guess this is an opinion piece from Mike Freeman of USA Today. And we are going to read that and break it down as we celebrate Pride Month here on the Josh Ennis show and we will do that after these words. The NBA Finals are finally here and after spending the playoffs all over the Pick Six app from Draft Kings. Well, we're ready for the

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only on DraftKings Pick 6. The crown is yours. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org in Connecticut. Must be 18 plus. Age and eligibility restrictions vary by jurisdiction. Pick 6 not available everywhere, including New York and Ontario. Voidware prohibited. One per new customer bonus awarded is non-withdrawable Pick 6 bonus picks that expire in 14 days. Limited time offer terms at pick6.draftkings.com slash promos. Alright so opinion. Jack Brennan was closeted as Bangles PR head. He's out now and has a on the chat.com slash promos. Alright, so opinion Jack Brennan was closeted as

Bengals PR head. He's out now and has a lot to say. Let's see. This story is part of a series by USA Today Sports called Project June. We will publish at least one NFL theme story every day throughout the month because fans know the league truly never sleeps. This story is part of our Pride Month coverage. All right. Jack Brennan was like a handful of powerful people in the NFL. He was a team PR person, in this case for the Cincinnati Bengals. And as a PR person, he was in many ways the front person for the team. If you wanted to talk to then coach

Marvin Lewis one-on-one, you went through Brennan. Brennan was always professional, kind and did whatever he could to make your job easy. He was in other words a pro. He was also dun dun dun queer. Which I don't think means gay. I don't think. I think the Q, I don't know what the Q exactly means but like gay means you're just gay. Queer I guess means you dabble. I don't know what the cue exactly means, but like gay means you're just gay. Queer, I guess, means you dabble. I don't know. Anywho. The latter fact, almost no one knew. Brennan kept it secret throughout his 23-year Bengals career, which ended in 2017. Brennan's story remains one

of the most fascinating in recent league history because while the NFL and media has understandably focused on players coming out, there have been few team and league officials who have done the same. That's because even in an NFL environment that is allegedly more acceptable now, it's been historically hindering to the LGBTQ plus in the NFL either as a player or the team, says this story. Again, I'm still waiting for the opinion. These all just sound like facts for the most part. When asked if he felt the NFL was unwelcoming place to come out when he was with the Bengals,

Brennan said during an interview with USA Today, I didn't come out until I left the NFL, so I guess I felt that way. Just because you felt some way doesn't mean it's true. Like I think that's one of the things that I have issue with is that people who are allegedly on the oppressed side of things if they feel something to be true, we automatically have to accept it as fact like it's it's harder out there for gay people. Is it? Like I don't know like I'm sure that there are dudes in the NFL who are homophobes. I'm not telling you they're not. I mean that's in all sports locker rooms are going to be people who are homophobes, but if you want to tell me that even in 2017, 2018, 2019 that these locker rooms were just filled with misogynistic homophobic dudes, I don't buy that. I'm not in every NFL locker room, but I do believe that things

are a lot better than they were for people back in the 1970s, the 1980s, the 1990s. People are a lot more understanding and if they're not understanding, they at least shut their fucking mouths because they don't want to be viewed as some bigot or a homophobe or anything. So, look, I'm not trying to rip this guy but it sounds like a guy who doesn't have a job in the NFL anymore and he's trying to peddle a book so you have to peddle this angle of I'm an oppressed guy and I felt like I was treated like shit in the NFL because I never wanted to come out and tell people I was gay because that would impact people. I do not believe that anybody in the NFL or at least the vast majority

of people would give a shit if a public relations dude were gay. Now if you want to tell me the starting quarterback is gay, that'd be something and that might be something of interest to a lot of people. If you want to tell me the starting quarterback is gay, that'd be something and that might be something of interest to a lot of people. If you want to tell me that a player is gay, I would still think there is some level of interest in that because there'll always be dudes like, man, I wonder if he's looking at my dick in the locker room, whatever. You want to tell me that the world gives a shit or that the NFL world

gives a shit that a public relations guy is gay? Like I wonder, did Marvin Lewis, did you ever tell Marvin Lewis you were gay or did you think Marvin Lewis would be like, nope, get that queer out of here. Actually, and I'm sorry, I keep saying gay. He's not gay. He's queer, which means whatever. Maybe they'll explain it more to us in the story. I also like how he says, I guess I felt that way that the NFL was an unwelcoming place to come out. Says I didn't come out until I left the NFL. So I

guess I felt that way. You don't even know that you felt that way. You didn't know that you felt like here's what this sounds like to me because let's be real. This is the easiest era in history to be gay. Look, I'm not gay, but this is a pretty fucking easy era. You go out, no one really gives a shit you're gay other than gay people. No one's judging. I mean look, they're still, I'm not naive. There's still a bunch, there are people that think gay is wrong and that exists and that will always exist but this ain't the 1950s, 60s, 70s.

This is a pretty easy time to be gay. You go out to the gay pride parade, you swing your cock around a little bit, you put on a dress and a wig, and then like you just live your life other than that. It's kind of an easy time to be gay. And I say that as someone who's got, look, I have gay friends, I have gay friends that find me alluring. I don't know what it is. I'm like catnip for gay dudes. I'm the perfect kind of fat and hairy for certain gay dudes to love. I don't know why. And that doesn't bother me. I'm tickled by it. It's nice. I'm flattered in fact by it. But all that said like this is not the most difficult era to be gay.

Like this and I'm going to continue reading the story. This just feels like some guy who needs to find a way to make a buck. So you write a book about it. You try to make yourself some super important figure by writing this book, and you come up with a couple of anecdotes about how, like, my guess is there aren't a ton of anecdotes in here about you being treated like shit because you're gay in the NFL, but we'll see. There are many different types of heroes in

what is a the continuing battle for the LGBTQ plus community to keep its right and protect itself. Brennan is one of those heroes. He wasn't vocal as the PR chief for the Bengals, but he's speaking out now and Brennan has a lot to say. He does some talking in the new book, Football Sissy, a cross-dressing memoir. So if you're a cross-dresser, does that make you queer or does that make you like, what's the word I'm looking for? What is it when you cross dress? From the Belt Publishing, which is

scheduled to release the book in September. The book is a striking piece of work. In many ways, it's an historical document because Brennan gives you an inside look at a man who had a secret passion for wearing dresses while working for an extremely conservative league. Go wear fucking dresses! No one gives a shit! It's like it's just like Ed Wood. Like Ed Wood loved wearing ladies Angora sweaters and made a movie about it. Brendan didn't share his secret until he spoke with the Athletic in 2021. So four years after you retire or like you

weren't with the Bengals anymore you're're like, well, I guess I finally can come out and say I like to wear dresses. I feel like I want to become more genuine to people around me and not hide anymore. And maybe, I don't know, someone else will see this and it will help them, Brennan told journalist Joe Poznanski then. I wanted to write something good and informative, Brennan says now. I also wanted to write something that would help people.

I think one thing I wanted to say was that if you're in the LGBTQ community and you want other people in it, you can do so by coming out. I mean, but I think they're still in the community, even if they don't come out. Like, I don't think these guys sit around and don't seek the affections of someone that they covet. They just don't talk about it

publicly. One thing Brennan makes clear during our interview was how he felt the league office itself was tolerant of the LGBTQ plus community. And for the most part, he said so were the Bengals. However, Brennan explained that on occasion, around the Bengals complex, sometimes people would make slurs or insensitive comments in the office or in the locker room. That's got gonna happen everywhere. Like, brother, I'm glad you like to wear dresses and I don't give a shit that you like to wear dresses. I'm

not gonna judge you for wearing dresses. Wear women's panties. Do whatever you want to do, bro. But like you're writing this book and maybe it's going to be the greatest book ever. But from what I'm getting here in these excerpts and these interview questions, you didn't feel like you didn't really feel like it was a bad situation in the NFL and occasionally you hear gay slurs or whatever and that was like the extent of it. Like it sounds like your life was relatively easy other than the fact that you couldn't come out and be like, hey, I'm going to wear a dress at work.

And again, I'm not against you. I'm just curious. What concerned Brennan the most about possibly coming out with the Bengals? He said that he would be reassigned, quote, would the Bengals think it was inappropriate for me to be walking around in the locker room, Brennan said, around players not always wearing clothes.

Brennan, in fairness, I can see where that would be a concern. In fairness, I think if you're a gay guy and you acknowledge that's a very good point, but on the other hand, would it be a wrong situation? Like, they don't want women walk, like, it's kind of the same thing. Like, do you want women walking around in a locker room where dudes have their hogs out? First off, the locker room setting in the NFL and sports

in general is fucking bizarre because the number of naked people is absurd. Like it shouldn't even be a situation where outside of the shower people just have hogs out everywhere and then media people are in there. We've talked about that a lot, right? Like we've talked about the situations where like you'd walk in there after a game and there's people interviewing dudes who are just standing there fucking dick down to the inside of their knees being interviewed and you're like like why would anybody now if I had a dick like that I

guess I'd be proud of it but like you're just setting yourself up for so many bad situations and awkward situations and uncomfortable situations so like why why should like why should somebody be in a locker room until guys are fully dressed anyway? So like I can understand that I get so I will acknowledge here in this case that it's probably going to be a situation where if you told people you were gay, then they'd probably be a little weirded out by you being in the locker room, but being gay, queer, whatever is an indicator then by your admission

here that you find men attractive that you're not into women right or you might be into men and women but in the same way you'd be uncomfortable if a woman or it'd be awkward if a woman a heterosexual woman were in there, you know, you'd think what is she looking at? It's kind of uncomfortable in the same way you'd be uncomfortable with this. So I get your point but it wouldn't be an unfair thing in the same way it wouldn't be unfair to go. Hey, there's a dude walking around and he's

into women and he's in the women's locker room for the WNBA, right? So, it's not like that's totally weird. Brennan believes the NFL is a better place now for the LGBTQ plus community than when he was with the Bengals. Not greatly better he said but better. Why? Like why is it not greatly better? Like I don't see and I'm not in every NFL locker room, I don't see a bunch of dudes walking around calling people gay slurs and everything all the time. Brennan explained that he's watched as some institutions have buckled the pressure from the Trump administration which has been anti-LGBTQ. I also don't think that Trump hates gay people,

but what do I know? I just hope the NFL doesn't said Brennan. If the league has the bravery of Brennan, it won't. So, what exactly would the league do? Like I love like when people put these like this false valor on this like hopefully the league will have the bravery. Also, why is this guy brave? Like help me understand this. I'm not saying this to rip the guy or rip guy. I want to be very clear. How is this guy brave? He went 23 years, didn't tell anyone he was queer, liked to wear dresses, waited until he's eight years out of the NFL and isn't going to work in the NFL anymore to tell you

that he's queer and likes to wear dresses. And then they throw out these kind of vague things like the NFL better not cave. What is the NFL gonna do? Like is the NFL gonna come out there and be like, nope We're gonna have like we're just gonna we're gonna have anti queer parties. Like what is the league gonna do? Some of this shit is baffling to me man. Like like why is this guy brave? I'm not telling you he's a bad person and I and you sound like an asshole if you say that why is this guy brave? Why is this guy brave? I'm not telling you he's a bad person. And you sound like an asshole if you say that. Why is this guy brave? Why is this guy brave? What exactly did this dude do that makes him brave? Oh he's writing a book seven years after he was in the league and now that he's fairly certain he's never gonna be

a PR guy again, he's gonna write some books about how he felt uncomfortable in certain situations and probably isn't gonna have a ton of specific situations to tell you about. It's just going to be vague. I felt uncomfortable and I felt like if I said I were gay, it'd be uncomfortable. Or if I felt I were gay, people might be uncomfortable with me in the locker room. No fucking shit. Like there are some people, dude, there are people that are uncomfortable already being naked in the locker room. They probably, some would be

uncomfortable with the idea that a guy who probably enjoys the look of a penis is looking at their penis. Now, on the other hand, again, as I said about women's sports, you're not going to let a dude walk into the women's locker room while fucking Paige Becker's is fucking Bush out, right? No. I don't know, bro. Like, we got to stop throwing bravery on everything not everything is fucking brave essentially what we're saying is this dude wears a dress and he's writing a book about how he used to work in the NFL and he wears a dress and this is fucking brave it's fine good for him tell your story I'm not against you wear whatever the fuck you want

to wear be a cross dresser be a transvestite be queer Wear whatever the fuck you want to wear. Be a cross dresser, be a transvestite, be queer, be whatever the fuck the plus is. Do whatever the fuck you want to do, bro. I'm on your side. I don't care. And what I've learned is most of the world doesn't either. When you get caught up in reading social media, you think the whole world gives a shit.

That is a tiny pocket of people, dude. Most people don't give a shit, and most people aren't like, why don't we have a straight pride parade too? Most people aren't like that. Most people are just like, hey, as long as you don't pull your cock out in front of the kids, have at it. Have a great fucking time. Most people don't care. But like the idea that this guy is brave, and again, there's probably more in the book, but the idea that this guy is brave and again there's probably more in the book. But the idea that this guy is brave because like that's such a try hard move to end this with. I just hope the NFL doesn't cave to Donald Trump. What is the NFL gonna do?

No gays allowed here guys! Also how could Trump be anti-gay and play the fucking village people at every one of his rallies? Riddle me this, Batman. Riddle me this. How is Trump gay and he plays the village people? There are just certain myths that are fascinating to me. I'm not doing this to defend Trump or anything, but every oppressed group believes that Trump

is against them, yet I've never seen any real indicators that Trump is in fact against these groups. It's just like this widely held idea. In what universe does Trump hate gay people? Help me figure that out. What world is there where Trump dislikes gay people? I haven't found it yet. What world is there where Trump hates black people? Like it like these things don't exist but people make them up. So now the guy just says, well, hopefully the NFL doesn't follow Trump's lead. Like what exactly is the

NFL going to do? Like, well guys, we planned on a giant rubber cock night at the stadium but because the NFL has caved to Trump, we're not. We were actually going to play games in dresses in honor of this guy but we're gonna take a step back because we're afraid of what's gonna happen with the ramifications from Trump. So everybody step back. We were actually, you know actually there was going to be a Patrick Mahomes plaster caster night at Arrowhead Stadium but because the league is so scared of Trump,

we had to back it up a little bit. We're not going to do that. No bravery here. Like, what are we doing people? Like, like good for you. Live your life. Be happy. But for, for fuck's sake, there's nothing brave about this. It's 2025. The guy likes to wear dresses. He's writing a book to make a buck. Like, look, if I read this book and there's more in guy likes to wear dresses, he's writing a book to make a buck. Like, look, if I read this book and there's more in there where I'm like, oh, that kind of fucking sucked, then maybe I'll change my mind, but I don't view this as some sort of brave little toaster situation here. More to come.