More and more LGBT athletes are coming out every day. Yesterday Conner Mertens, a kicker for the Willamette University Bearcats, joined their ranks when he posted a heartfelt letter to his teammates, coaches and friends on Twitter.

According to Outsports, Mertens' fellow players accepted him unconditionally:

One by one the players shared what was on their minds. At one point, one of the bigger guys on the team had something to say. This was one of the players of whose reaction Mertens was most afraid. He has a reputation of seeking out fights, eager for fisticuffs, Mertens said. He laid it all on the line in front of the team.

"If anyone has a problem with Conner," he said, "I'll kick your ass."

Every one of the team members who spoke shared the same sentiment. Mertens is a member of the team, he has a bright future on the gridiron, and it just doesn't matter if he has a boyfriend or a girlfriend.

Mertens, who identifies as bisexual, had faced discrimination as a member of Young Life, a national youth-evangelical organization. After coming out to the group he was kicked out, making him fearful of discussing his sexuality in public again.

According to Outsports, Mertens is the first college football player to come out publicly while still on the active roster.

"For me growing up, I always felt the biggest thing that caused my depression was the feeling of being alone," he says. "I made the decision that if I could help anyone else avoid feeling the way I felt, I would."

h/t: Towleroad