Esera Tuaolo Arrested

Esera Tuaolo, a former Minnesota Vikings player who came out of the closet in 2002 by announcing that he was raising twins with his then-partner, has been arrested and charged with domestic assault and disorderly conduct, Minnesota's Pioneer Press reports.

The 41-year-old Tuaolo lives in Eden Prairie, Minn., but the alleged assault took place about 30 miles away in North Oaks. Police would not identify the alleged victim, and Tuaolo could not be reached for comment.

According to court records, Tuaolo was arrested last Sunday and then released on $2,000 bail. A judge gave him a domestic abuse-related no-contact order with the victim and set a hearing on the matter for August.

Tuaolo was a defensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, and Carolina Panthers. He came out of the closet after retirement and soon became a gay activist -- working with the NFL to combat homophobia in the league, joining the board of the Gay and Lesbian Athletics Foundation, and even singing the national anthem at the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago. He and Mitchell Wherley, Tuaolo's partner when he came out of the closet, ended their relationship in 2007.

Read The Advocate's 2002 cover story with Tuaolo here.