NFL Hall of Famer Urlacher Praises Cunningham’s Stance on Transgender Athletes in Women’s Sports

Former Chicago Bears linebacker and Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher has become an unlikely admirer of Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, praising her outspoken views on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. Though Urlacher admits he does not regularly follow the WNBA, he expressed enthusiasm for Cunningham’s performance and social media presence in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.

Cunningham drew Urlacher’s particular attention after stating that “young girls shouldn’t have to go against biological men” in athletic competition. Urlacher characterized her remarks as straightforward and rooted in common sense, expressing confusion about the controversy surrounding such statements. “She just says what’s true,” Urlacher said, adding that Cunningham’s willingness to stand by her position despite significant backlash demonstrated admirable conviction.

Urlacher acknowledged the potential professional risk Cunningham faced in making her comments, noting that the WNBA consists largely of liberal-leaning players and members of the LGBTQ+ community. He stated he holds no personal objection to that demographic composition while simultaneously supporting Cunningham’s right to express her viewpoint without retreating from it under pressure.

Since her initial comments, Cunningham has garnered support from Republican senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Eric Schmitt of Missouri, among other political figures and women’s sports advocates. Cunningham reiterated her position last week, emphasizing the importance of protecting children competing in athletics while clarifying she does not consider herself politically motivated.