Bengals Offensive Lineman Posts, Deletes Homophobic Image to Instagram

As the NFL tries to come to grips with its issues on race, Bobby Hart serves a reminder how the league has to go on the issue of homophobia. The Bengals offensive lineman posted and then deleted a homophobic image to his Instagram account.

Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Bobby Hart struggles to block opponents, so he appears to be trying to stop homosexuality. The mediocre right tackle posted an image that was clearly homophobic to his Instagram account before deleting it.

There appears to have been a sea change in the NFL when it comes to understanding that a protest during the national anthem is not disrespectful to the flag or troops as it signifies the issues that so many minorities have experienced in America, but the NFL has really struggled to deal with prejudice as it pertains to homosexuality and Hart serves as a reminder of their lack of progress on the issue.

Often using religious beliefs as a shield, there is far less push back when it comes to judging and demonizing homosexuality. The image Hart posted is ignorant and suggests that homosexuality is being promoted to children and needs to be stopped. Neither of these ideas are true and this type of bigotry should be regarded as being as unacceptable as it would be based on race.

Unfortunately, it's not as illustrated. Drew Brees received criticism for his opinion on kneeling during the anthem to which he then recanted and said he was understanding of what he got wrong.

Brees had been donating money to an organization called Focus on the Family, a group which engages in activities such as gay conversion therapy. Brees appeared in an ad for this group and had to distance himself and even release a statement on his affiliation with the group, where he denied he knew they engaged in that type of behavior.

Legendary head coach Tony Dungy, who appears on NBC as an analyst is a contributor to Focus on the Family and has made any number of homophobic statements over the past 15 years. NBC seems to be okay with this given the fact he still works there.

Dungy is often held in esteem as a voice of reason and a moral authority within the NFL despite a terrible track record when it comes to tolerance and homosexuality. And it's an issue that is rarely raised other than when he says something homophobic and even then it never seems to stick to him.

NBC also had reportedly been trying to negotiate a television deal with Brees to become an an analyst after his playing career is completed. There has been no indication the blow back from the comments over the anthem have altered NBC's plans to try to hire him.

These aren't fringe personalities in the NFL. They are household names.

Bobby Hart's actions are reprehensible, but sadly, they are not all that rare in the NFL. The NFL has a lot of improving to do when it comes to race, but they have so much further to go when it comes to homosexuality.