Photo Credit: @officialjakedaniels
Jake Daniels shares his deeply personal journey of coming out as gay while being a professional footballer—a space still steeped in taboo and stigma around homosexuality. He says he always knew he was gay, even from the age of five, but hoped it would go away. As he pursued football, he found himself trapped between living truthfully and risking his career.
Photo Credit: @officialjakedaniels
For years, he hid his sexuality from everyone—friends, family, teammates—and internalized fear and shame, especially when he heard homophobic jokes in locker rooms. The breaking point came when he saw Olympic diver Tom Daley speak on TV about how powerful it would be for just one footballer to come out. That message resonated with Jake deeply.
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With support from his family, friends, and inspired by Tom Daley’s message, Jake came out publicly—becoming the only openly gay male professional footballer in England at the time.
He describes the overwhelming support he received—from fans of Blackpool and even rival clubs, to LGBT+ fan groups and fellow athletes. While there was some negativity on social media, the real-life response was largely positive, which helped improve his mental health significantly.
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He shares how, before coming out, he used to stage outings with a female friend to hide dates with boys, out of fear of public judgment. Now, being able to live authentically has not only given him peace, but also strengthened relationships and inspired others.
When asked if other players had reached out to him, he said none had come out to him personally yet, likely due to the still-prevalent pressures of masculinity in sport. He hopes his visibility helps change that.
You can watch the full interview HERE.