One of the NFL’s most revered players, Michael Irvin, said people should be able to marry whom they want to marry. The 2007 Hall of Famer, who lost his older gay brother Vaughn to stomach cancer at the age of 49 in 2006, strongly believes in marriage equality for all. 

Shown walking down a street in Hollywood, Irvin stops to tell TMZ we don’t belong in other people's bedrooms and if “God gives you the choice of companion...then I don’t think government should mess with it.” He emphasizes his point saying, “Whoever you want to be with, that choice is up to you.” The video shows a very passionate Irvin saying, it blows his mind to hear people debate over whom others should or shouldn’t be able to love. This is obviously a subject that hits very close to home.

The 45-year-old former star-playing Dallas Cowboy is also on the cover of the most recent Out magazine. In the article, he talks about his gay brother and keeping his brother’s sexuality in the closet throughout his career for fear of embarrassment, even though he said he adored him. In the article, the Florida native explains after much soul searching and building a foundation for his religious house, he feels it is his duty to speak out for gay rights. “If anyone comes out in those top four major sports, I will absolutely support him,” Irvin tells the magazine.

(Photo: Out Magazine July 2011)