Editor's note: CNN Correspondent Heidi Collins' interview with Roy Simmons airs tonight on "Anderson Cooper 360°" 10 p.m.-midnight ET.
When Roy Simmons walked in to the studio to sit down for our interview, the first thing I noticed was how big he was. Take one look at this former NFL offensive lineman and it becomes obvious pretty quickly that he played professional ball.
Then Simmons shook my hand. It was the gentlest handshake and kindest voice I'd heard in a while. Not quite what you'd expect from a guy who had knocked helmets for the New York Giants and went to the Super Bowl with the Washington Redskins in 1984.
The fact that Simmons says he is gay and was raped by a neighbor when he was 11 years old and now is H.I.V. positive...These also aren't things you'd expect.
Simmons told me about the secret of his homosexuality and how it had tortured him for his entire professional football career. He said that in the NFL you can be a wife-beater or a drug-dealer, but being gay...forget about it.
He said hiding his sexual orientation led to a powerful addiction to drugs and alcohol. He told me he was spending about one thousand dollars every day to support his habit. He said it was so bad he even snorted cocaine on the day he played in the Super Bowl.
Today, Simmons is trying to maintain a sober life. He sat down with me recently to talk about his new book, "Out of Bounds," for a report airing tonight. He says he'd like to help others stop keeping secrets.
