Over the past couple of weeks, there have been many stories about potential NFL draftees being subjected to questions about their sexuality at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last month, but there still has not been an active player who has stated they are homosexual.

That may soon change.

According to Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com, an unidentified player is considering making his sexual preference public and believes that the atmosphere is right for that player to be accepted in a locker room. The issue has been a hot topic with many current and former NFL players including Scott Fujita, who just ended his 11-year playing career.

According to Freeman:

Based on interviews over the past several weeks with current and former players, I’m told that a current gay NFL player is strongly considering coming out publicly within the next few months — and after doing so, the player would attempt to continue his career.

I’m told this player feels the time is now for someone to take this step — despite homophobic remarks from San Francisco 49ers defensive back Chris Culliver and the controversy arising recently at the Indianapolis Scouting combine, when prospects were asked questions about their sexuality.

This player’s true concern, I’m told, is not the reaction inside an NFL locker room but outside of it. The player fears he will suffer serious harm from homophobic fans, and that is the only thing preventing him from coming out. My sources will not say who this alleged player is.

Chris Kluwe’s effort to support marriage equality has gained support from several additional NFL players. (Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

The push among NFL players for legalized same-sex marriage has grown a lot bigger than Chris Kluwe and Brendon Ayanbadejo. Several other NFL players are joining up to support the Vikings punter and the Ravens linebacker in a legal brief in favor of marriage equality, according to ProFootballTalk.

The brief, sent to the United States Supreme Court, argues for legalized same-sex marriage as the Court hears arguments regarding California’s Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in the state.

“Brendon and I have emphasized all along that athletes have a special message when it comes to welcoming others as friends and teammates, without regard for their sexual orientation — we’ve made that point before in some unique ways, and we felt we had a special perspective to offer the Court in a very serious case about equality,” Kluwe said in a press release.

Both Kluwe and Ayanbadejo have publicly voiced their support for same-sex marriage in the past. The players joining the initiative are: free agent linebacker Scott Fujita, Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin, free agent tackle Eric Winston, Browns center Alex Mack, Browns linebacker Chris Gocong, Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, Bears punter Adam Podlesh and free agent linebacker Scott Shanle . NFLPA president Dominique Foxworth and NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith have also jumped on board.

The Browns placed linebacker Scott Fujita on injured reserve ending his season, possibly his career. (Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

The Cleveland Browns officially placed linebacker Scott Fujita on injured reserve, ending his season and promoted defensive lineman Brian Sanford from practice squad, the team announced Saturday.

Fujita has not played since sustaining a neck injury against the New York Giants on Oct. 7. Fujita said the injury could end his 11-year NFL career.

Fujita has played in four games this season, registering one sack and 14 tackles. Fujita signed with the Browns as a free agent in 2010 after spending four years with the New Orleans Saints.

Fujita’s 2012 season has been plagued by injuries and the NFL suspension accusing him of taking part in the Saints bounty scandal.  Fujita maintained his innocence from the bounty program and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reduced Fujita’s three-game suspension to one game.

Browns placed LB Scott Fujita on IR and signed defensive lineman Brian Sanford to the active roster.—
Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 27, 2012

Scott Fujita will consider retiring after an MRI revealed a neck injury.(Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita has battled with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell all season and may have played his last NFL game.

Fujita is on the injured reserve list and done for the season after an MRI revealed nerve and disk damage that could also end his career.

“It’s still early in the process for that,” Fujita, 33, said. “I just want to get healthy and then it will be some private conversations between me and my wife and our doctors.”

Fujita said he has to consider his family’s wishes when making his decision. He and his wife, Jaclyn, have three daughters, 5-year-old twins and an 8-month old.

“We’ve had a lot of very private conversations and we will continue that dialogue,” said Fujita. “I almost didn’t even want to tell her that I was getting the MRI. There’s a big picture we’ve got to look at here, too.”

Fujita recovered from neck surgery in 1999 and played “relatively pain free” until he began experiencing stingers during his last NFL appearance, Oct. 7 against the Giants.

Now, he doesn’t want to risk another operation. And much as it will pain him to leave his teammates and the game he loves, Fujita is smart enough to know that one more ill-placed hit could haunt him the rest of his life.

Fujita was inactive for Cleveland’s past two games, but has remained in the NFL’s spotlight as one of four players suspended by Goodell for their roles in the Saints’ bounty scandal. He was in the process of appealing a suspension that had been reduced from three games to one, but now expects to put the issue behind him.

“That couldn’t be further from my mind right now,” Fujita said. “I fought that fight. I felt like I came out on the good side of it. They admitted publicly I had nothing to do with any of that. I feel good about that. Now it’s just a matter of whether I want to fight this silly redetermination that I didn’t stand up to my coach.

“At this point I don’t give it that much thought.”

Browns linebacker Scott Fujita’s season is over with a neck injury that could also keep him from ever playing again.

Browns linebacker Scott Fujita has been placed on injured reserve after a neck injury, ending his season. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports that the neck injury could prevent Fujita from playing again, marking the end of an 11-year NFL career.

Fujita missed last week’s game with what the team called a shoulder injury, but had played four consecutive games prior to that with no indication that the linebacker was in any trouble.

Browns coach Pat Shurmur confirmed that Fujita’s season is over, but said he doesn’t know whether Fujita plans to retire.

Fujita’s season was marred by a three-game suspension for his alleged participation in the Saints bounty scandal, a sentence that was eventually reduced to one game. He is in the process of appealing the one-game suspension, which he sees as an unfair punishment that has affected his reputation.

Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita’s career suddenly appears to be in doubt because of a neck injury, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported on Monday. Mortensen reported that both the team and player worry the injury could be of the career-threatening variety.

Browns LB Scott Fujita has neck injury team & player fear is career ender, per sources. 11 yrs in NFL. Busy NFL Monday Countdown #NFLreality

— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) October 15, 2012

The report is a seemingly stunning development for Fujita. He missed Sunday’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals with what the team termed as a “shoulder/neck injury,” but the team gave no indication that it was long-term or career-threatening. He suffered the injury during the Browns’ Week 5 loss to the New York Giants, when he left the game and never returned.

Fujita had player in the Browns’ previous four games, recording 14 tackles and one sack.

Fujita has been one of the most outspoken critics of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in the ongoing Saints bounty scandal. Fujita blasted Goodell in a statement last week after the commissioner reduced his three-game suspension reduced to one.

“Additionally, I am now purportedly being suspended for failing to confront my former defensive coordinator for his inappropriate use of language,” Fujita said in the statement. “This seems like an extremely desperate attempt to punish me. I also think it sets a dangerous precedent when players can be disciplined for not challenging the behavior of their superiors. This is an absolute abuse of the power that’s been afforded to the Commissioner.”

Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma and three other suspended players reportedly had those suspensions overturned by an appeals court. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

A three-member appeals panel overturned the player suspensions in the New Orleans Saints bounty case, reports SI.com.

The appeals panel vacated the suspensions of the so-called “Bounty 4″, Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, free agent Anthony Hargrove, Browns linebacker Scott Fujita and Saints defensive end Will Smith.

The suspensions are voided immediately and the NFL confirms the players are eligible to play beginning this weekend but Commissioner Roger Goodell can reconsider discipline, if he has evidence of a bounty scandal.

“Consistent with the panel’s decision, Commissioner Goodell will, as directed, make an expedited determination of the discipline imposed for violating the league’s pay-for-performance/bounty rule,” a statement from the NFL said. “Until that determination is made, the four players are reinstated and eligible to play starting this weekend.”

The court remanded the case back to NFL for a redetermination of appropriate penalties.

The NFL has no recourse, but can choose to file a lawsuit which they can attack of the arbitration.

The NFL suspended the player and Saints head coach Sean Payton, defensive coach Joe Vitt and former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and Saints general manager Mickey Loomis for their alleged role in a pay-for-injure scheme. Payton, Vitt, Williams and Loomis are not affected by this ruling.

Victory is mine!!!! -stewie griffin—
Jonathan Vilma (@JonVilma51) September 07, 2012

Congratulations to our players and the Saints organization. A 3 judge panel UNANIMOUSLY overturned the bounty suspensions for players.—
Drew Brees (@drewbrees) September 07, 2012