About two weeks after he posted homophobic comments aimed at gay football player Michael Sam, Canadian Football League (CFL) receiver Arland Bruce III was released by the Montreal Alouettes, Yahoo Sports News reports.
A statement from the Alouettes does not give a reason for Bruce’s release; it says only that he has been cut, gives a summary of his contribution last season, and thanks him for his hard work.
After National Football League prospect Sam came out, Bruce told him via Instagram to “Man up and do some MFN push UPS and get on your knees and submit to God fully.” Bruce subsequently apologized and was fined. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Bryant Turner was also fined for his swipe at Sam, after posting on Twitter that the gay player’s locker room “gonna come with complimentary robes.”
The CFL called the comments by both players “extremely disappointing,” and the Alouettes also criticized Bruce for his post.
The Yahoo report suggests that Bruce’s anti-gay remarks were probably a significant factor in the decision to cut him from the team. Apart from Bruce’s penchant for courting controversy, the report also speculates that the Alouettes’ new head coach may not have been keen to keep the 36-year-old Bruce on the roster, despite his productivity on the field.
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