Opinion: Jack Brennan was closeted as Bengals PR head. He's out now and has a lot to say
Editor's note: This story is a part of a series by USA TODAY Sports called Project: June. We will publish at least one NFL-themed story every day throughout the month because fans know the league truly never sleeps. This story is also part of our Pride Month coverage.
Jack Brennan was like a handful of powerful people in the NFL: He was a team PR person. In this case, for the Cincinnati Bengals. And as a PR person he was, in many ways, the front person for the team. If you wanted to talk to then coach Marvin Lewis one-on-one, you went through Brennan. Brennan was always professional, kind and did whatever he could to make your job easy. He was, in other words, a pro. He was also gay.
The latter fact almost no one knew. Brennan kept it a secret throughout his 23-year Bengals career which ended in 2017. Brennan's story remains one of the most fascinating in recent league history because while the NFL and media has (understandably) focused on players coming out, there have been few team and league officials who have done the same. That's because, even in an NFL environment that is allegedly more acceptable now, it's been historically hindering to be LGBTQ+ in the NFL, either as a player or team official.
When asked if he felt the NFL was an unwelcoming place to come out when he was with the Bengals, Brennan said during an interview with USA TODAY Sports: "I didn't come out until I left the NFL, so I guess I felt that way."
There are many different types of heroes in what is the continuing battle for the LGBTQ+ community to keep its rights and protect itself. Brennan is one of those heroes. He wasn't vocal as the PR chief for the Bengals, but he's speaking out now, and Brennan has a lot to say.
He does some of the talking in a new book Football Sissy: A Cross-Dressing Memoir from Belt Publishing which is scheduled to be released in September.
The book is a striking piece of work. In many ways it's an historical document because Brennan gives you an inside look at a man who had a secret passion for wearing dresses while working for an extremely conservative league.
Brennan didn't share his secret until he spoke with The Athletic in 2021.
'I feel like I want to become more genuine to people around me and not hide anymore. And maybe, I don't know, someone else will see this and it will help them,' Brennan told journalist Joe Posnanski then.
"I wanted to write something good and informative," Brennan says now. "I also wanted to write something that would help people. I think one thing I wanted to say was if you're in the LGBTQ community, and you want to help other people in it, you can do so by coming out."
One thing Brennan makes clear during our interview was how he felt the league office itself was tolerant of the LGBTQ+ community and for the most part, he said, so were the Bengals. However, Brennan explained that on occasion around the Bengals' complex: "Sometimes people would make slurs or insensitive comments in the office, or in the locker room."
What concerned Brennan the most about possibly coming out while with the Bengals? That he would be reassigned.
"Would the Bengals think it was inappropriate for me to be walking around the locker room," Brennan said during his interview with me, "around players not always wearing clothes?"
Brennan believes the NFL is a better place now for the LGBTQ+ community than when he was with the Bengals. Not greatly better, he said, but better. There's just one thing that concerns him. Brennan explained he's watched as some institutions have buckled to pressure from the Trump administration which has been anti-LGBTQ.
"I just hope the NFL doesn't," said Brennan.
If the league has the bravery of Brennan, it won't.
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