Linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo (right) attended an event last week sponsored by Equality Maryland to celebrate the relocation of their headquarters from Silver Spring to Baltimore, according to the Washington Blade.

Equality Maryland is a gay rights advocacy group that helps to ensure and protect the right of Maryland GLBT through legislative initiatives.

Ayanbadejo penned an op-ed piece for the Huffington Post a few weeks ago recognizing the legitimacy of same-sex relationships and advocating for same-sex marriage. 

“How could our society grant more rights to a heterosexual one night stand wedding in Vegas than a gay couple that has been together for 3, 5, 10 years of true love?” Ayanbadeyo asked, referring to a pop stars recent marriage fling.  “I think we will look back in 10, 20, 30 years and be amazed that gays and lesbians did not have the same rights as everyone else.”

David Toth, Equality Maryland's interim executive director, welcomed Ayanbadejo’s position.

“While not all of us are pro-footballers, one can never underestimate the power of just one voice to change hearts and minds,” Toth said, “whether it’s your own family or millions of adoring fans.”

Ayanbadejo also wrote for the Santa Cruz Sentinel during his first couple of years in the NFL.

Additionally, he has advocated for the passage of the FIT Kids Act, federal legislation that would require school districts to report on students' physical activity and to give youngsters health and nutritional information.