[Costello:] Chris Kluwe certainly has a way of words. His article, "I was an NFL player until I was fired by two cowards and a bigot" has now gone viral and it's "Dead Spin's" most popular post ever. The article alleges Kluwe was fired because of his outspoken support for gay rights. Not exactly what the NFL has yearned for, but it's now dealing with. Kluwe talked with Anderson Cooper.
[Chris Kluwe, Former Punter, Minessota Vikings:] I didn't start keeping notes until April like I said in the article when they drafted a punter and it was clear to me that my job was done with the Vikings because up until that point, I was under the impression that I would still play for them. I had done everything the coaches wanted me to do. My stats were the same as they had always been and I had no reason to think they were letting me go. No one ever said they were dissatisfied with my performance. Once they did draft a punter, I thought, I need to get this stuff down while it is fresh and make sure that I have
[Costello:] Kluwe alleged Special Teams Coach Mike Preefer made anti- gay comments telling players at a meeting, quote, "We should round up all the gays and send them to an island and nuke it until it glows." Kluwe also alleges the Viking's former head coach, Leslie Frazier and Minnesota's general manager discouraged his activisms. The Vikings say they are now investigating. With me now to talk about this, Rachel Nichols, anchor of CNN's "UNGUARDED" and David Cornwell, an attorney who represents many NFL players including Jonathan Martin of the Miami Dolphins. Welcome to both of you. Rachel, I want to start with you. Is Kluwe's article on "Dead Spin," are people talking about that within NFL circles?
[Rachel Nichols, Anchor, Cnn's "unguarded":] Absolutely. This has made a great impact and you know, as a reporter, someone who covers the NFL, you will love players like Chris Kluwe, smart, engaged, realizing that as a professional athlete, they have the chance to impact the world around them, however they see fit. Kluwe has been active, not just in marriage equality but in many other issues as well. As an NFL executive, he is not the kind of player that you necessarily want on your team, someone who makes waves, someone who has viewpoints that could be controversial. You can see where there was a divide here. I'm interested, though, in David's opinion on this. I have not seen too many NFL teams who let go of players who can help them in the game on the field. We have seen NFL players who have been arrested for drunk driving. We've seen NFL players who have been arrested for domestic abuse, murder investigations, all kinds of problems off the field. In an NFL team feels that that player in the balance helps them on the field, they keep that guy around. Now, the balance issue, though, is important. Maybe the Vikings did feel or certain members of the Vikings felt that the balance with Chris Kluwe, that he was causing too much of a distraction and worth getting rid of in comparison to how much money he was making and performance.
[Costello:] David, what do you think?
[David Cornwell, Sports Attorney:] Happy New Year to you and Rachel. Good morning, Rachel.
[Nichols:] Good morning, David.
[Cornwell:] It is an excellent point. The National Football League is about winning football games. Players and coaches will put up with a whole lot if they believe somebody can help you win a football game. Chris, no doubt, was influential and was making a difference. But I believe that the Vikings decision to go in a different direction is because they thought someone else could be a better player for them and not because of Chris's views with respect to same-sex marriage or anything else.
[Costello:] Would another team hire him?
[Cornwell:] If he is good enough, absolutely.
[Costello:] It doesn't matter. This controversy wouldn't matter to them.
[Cornwell:] Let me tell you something. This is more of a competitive sense than a sexual preference sense. The National Football League is about men and coaches are about leading men. The objective is to win games. You will be accepted in an NFL locker room in a nanosecond if the players believe you can help them win games. The coaches will lead you in that direction.
[Costello:] So, Rachel, also, in Anderson Cooper's interview last night, Chris Kluwe said that there were witnesses to his allegations, players, other players, on Minnesota's team. Let's listen.
[Kluwe:] I'm confident because it is the right thing to do. Also, one of the things that I'm going to push for and will absolutely demand is the fact that there must be anonymity for these witnesses. Being black balled in the NFL is a very real possibility. That's not something I'm willing to force my former teammates is to submit to. If it means interviewing all members of the 2012 Vikings in order to make sure no one is singled out, then that's what it takes.
[Costello:] So, Rachel, do you think that other players will ever come forward and stand up for Chris Kluwe and say, I heard those comments too?
[Nichols:] Well, I think it depends as Chris points out, what kind of shield they are given in this investigation. It does help this investigation that the Minnesota Vikings' coaching staff is in flux right now. The head coach has been fired. The assistant coaches are still technically retained by the team but a new coach is going to come in there. They usually bring in their own assistants. If this was a case where that coach was currently very much employed, the whole administration there was employed and, therefore, players were concerned about keeping their jobs, that might be a factor in having them be quiet. I think players will be a little bit more likely to talk if they feel like, hey, there is new coaches coming in here anyway. We have to impress all new people. As Chris points out, that anonymity or having some protection from the team where the NFL is important, like it is in any investigation where people are being asked to tell on their bosses.
[Costello:] Just to button things up, David, Rachel said a lot of personnel are leaving. Are the Minnesota Vikings really going to look into this when most of the people allegedly involved in this are going to be gone anyway?
[Cornwell:] I think they will. I think they have to. I think the commissioner will be sitting in the background to make sure that they are doing a comprehensive and a legitimate investigation. Given the things that went on with Jonathan in the Dolphins, I've met with the commissioner about that. Now, this in the Vikings, there is no doubt that the NFL is at the cutting edge of some social issues. They are going to deal with this responsibly. There is no question in my mind.
[Costello:] How is Jonathan Martin doing, by the way?
[Cornwell:] He is doing very well. He is back in school, studying, doing very well and anxious to get back into the NFL and play some football.
[Costello:] So you think he will definitely play football again.
[Cornwell:] Jonathan is one of the best tackles in the National Football League. Some team is going to want to have him on their team. I don't know if the Dolphins is the place he will end up but he will be able to play football in the National Football League.
[Nichols:] If you can play football, people will want you on the team.
[Costello:] I heard that from both of you many times this morning. Thanks to both of you. I appreciate it. Still to come in the NEWSROOM, the vote we've been talking about in the Senate on unemployment benefits is just about to begin. A live report from Washington next.