Immaculate receptions, home runs at the bottom of the 9th, and half court shots, right at the buzzer, have often times been the measure of what makes a hero in the world of sports.  But there are also those rare instances when an athlete’s heroic courage is not the stuff of a Gatorade commercial.  Former NFL linebacker Al Chesley is evidence of that. 

Chesley, who played for the Eagles in the late 70s and early 80s, revealed this week that he had been the victim of sexual abuse as a teenager.  It took him decades to finally get the guts to speak openly about his painful past.  And even though his revelation comes too late for criminal charges to be filed against his accuser, Chesley says he did it to encourage other young victims to come forward. 

Forget Vince Papale Eagles fans, this guy’s your “Mr. invincible.” 

Chesley is one of several professional athletes to come forward in recent years about an abusive past.   In 2005, Laveranues Coles went on Oprah to share his story of childhood sex abuse.  The Jets wide receiver says he was 10 when he became the victim of his own stepfather.  Even though Coles’ stepfather was eventually incarcerated for the crimes, the football star decided to break his silence publicly because, just like Chesley, he believed his story could have an impact on children being victimized right now.

Did Coles’ heroic confession make him the next face of Nike?  Not so much.  Just like I’m sure we shouldn’t expect Al Chesley throwback jerseys to suddenly be in high demand.  The fact of the matter is, sports heroes are put on their pedestals for their athleticism and their talent, not what they do in their private lives.  And while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it is important that we highlight their acts of courage off the field with the same tenacity as we do their misdeeds.  If not, then perhaps its time we reevaluate what the word “hero” truly means.