After coming out in February and retiring from soccer, it was reported Friday night that Rogers will be back and playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Robbie Rogers, in black, controls the ball for the Columbus Crew against his new team, the Los Angeles Galaxy, on September 24, 2011 at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
Via: Jamie Sabau / Getty Images
Robbie Rogers, who came out as gay and retired from professional soccer in February, is back and will be playing play with the Los Angeles Galaxy.
USA Today reported the news Friday night, which was later confirmed by several other sources.
Rogers will be the first out Major League Soccer player.
Yahoo! Sports later Friday night reported:
MLS rights to Rogers, who previously played in the league for Columbus Crew from 2007 to 2011, were owned by the Chicago Fire, but Rogers didn't want to play for them. So after casually training with the Galaxy over the last several weeks, a trade was finally worked out, sending midfielder Mike Magee to Chicago in exchange for Rogers, who is now the first openly gay player in MLS.
As BuzzFeed reported in early May, Rogers began training with the LA Galaxy on April 30. BuzzFeed's Kevin Lincoln wrote at the time:
The MLS season is already in flow, meaning that Rogers could be playing professional soccer as soon as 1) he decides he wants to be playing professional soccer, 2) his contract situation is resolved, and 3) he gets into game shape.
Via: instagram.com
Because basketball player Jason Collins' season was done this year before he came out on April 29, it is likely that Rogers actually could become the first out male athlete to play a major league sport in the U.S.
Back when Rogers came out in February he described, "I have been afraid, afraid to show whom I really was because of fear. Fear that judgment and rejection would hold me back from my dreams and aspirations." Explaining that he is gay, he then wrote, "I realized I could only truly enjoy my life once I was honest. Honesty is a bitch but makes life so simple and clear. My secret is gone, I am a free man, I can move on and live my life as my creator intended."
