| J. Lindsy McLean | |
|---|---|
| Sport(s) | Football |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| ? 1968–1978 1979–2003 |
California Michigan (trainer) San Francisco 49ers (trainer) |
J. Lindsy McLean was an athletic trainer for college and professional American football teams for nearly 50 years.
McLean began his career as a student athletic trainer at Vanderbilt University in 1956. In 1963, he was the head athletic trainer and director of physical therapy at the University of California. He was the head athletic trainer at the University of Michigan for eleven years from 1968 to 1978.
In 1979, he moved to professional sports and became the head athletic trainer for the San Francisco 49ers, a position he held for 24 years. He retired at the conclusion of the 2003 NFL season. In 1988, he was inducted into the National Athletic Trainers' Association Hall of Fame.[1]
In February 2004, ESPN The Magazine published a feature story on McLean in which he acknowledged that he was gay and discussed his experiences in the world of football. He said that many players and team officials were aware of his homosexuality during his years with the 49ers. He detailed incidences of harassment from players as well, including one player who repeatedly grabbed him and performed simulated sex while other players watched.[2][3]