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All sports, including the NFL have seen multiple barriers broken throughout the years. From Jackie Robinson (the first black player in the MLB) to Kenny Washington (the first black player in the NFL) to Michael Sam (the first openly gay player drafted in the NFL), these barriers make headline news when it happens. Thankfully, after decades, these specific events have become more commonplace than revolutionary.
Most players and fans today will not remember when Kenny Washington became the first black player to play in the NFL in 1946. Thankfully, there is no issue with regards to representation of black players in the NFL. As other barriers come down, more of these firsts will hopefully become normalized.
Prospective tight end Trey McBride and his family will also be a part of history in this year’s NFL Draft. Many teams and analysts expect McBride, a star player at Colorado State University, to be one of the first tight ends drafted this year. If chosen by an NFL franchise, McBride will be the first NFL player to openly have same-sex parents.
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Colorado State star player Trey McBride credits his moms for his success ahead of NFL Draft
Trey McBride and his five siblings were raised by his moms Kate McBride and Jen McBride. He praised his parents and did not hesitate to disclose that much of his football success came from their support.
McBride, in an interview with TODAY, indicated that his mothers are special, but nothing out of the ordinary with regard to parenting:
"Really, it's just normal to me. It's something that I've been with my whole life. It's not anything that I know differently"
McBride’s parents also shared their enthusiasm for McBride’s success and did not hold back how proud they are of him:
"When your kid comes to you when they're little and they say they want to be president, you're like, 'OK, honey, that's great". He wanted to play in the NFL, and he's going to do it."
Kate McBride also disclosed what it was like being a mother in a same-sex relationship when Trey was growing up:
"They actually considered me a single mom. And I remember telling my parents that I'm pregnant, and they said, 'Why would you want to have a baby as a single woman?' And I said, 'I'm not a single woman. I'm in a relationship.'"
Kate and Jen McBride’s journey as parents began in the 90's, and both agree that things were very different back then. Sadly, there was a great stigma attached to same-sex parents during that time. Despite the barriers both women faced, Trey McBride’s moms paved the road to success for him with their love and unrelenting support. His next stop will be the NFL Draft.
Round one of the NFL Draft will begin this Thursday, April 28, 2022 at 8 PM ET on ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network.
