Esera Tuaolo Appearing On “The Voice” Monday Night

UPDATE: We have the video of Tuaolo’s performance right here for your viewing pleasure.

A former member of the Minnesota Vikings is going to be a part of what has become America’s biggest singing talent show.

Esera Tuaolo, who played in 60 games for the Vikings from 1992 to 1996, will be appearing on Monday night’s episode of The Voice, which will air on NBC at 7:00 PM Central time.

Tuaolo was originally drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1991, and played in 20 games for them before making his way to Minnesota in 1992. He played for the team until 1996, when he left and made several other stops. He played for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1997 and went to the Super Bowl with the Atlanta Falcons in. . .sigh. . .1998.

Tuaolo has performed the National Anthem at numerous sporting events over the years, including singing the song at Lambeau Field while he was still a member of the Packers. I can’t recall if he ever did it as a member of the Vikings, but he did perform it at the Metrodome before the Vikings’ game against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013.

A few years after he retired from the NFL, Tuaolo came out as being gay. It didn’t garner nearly as much attention as linebacker Michael Sam making the same declaration before the draft a few years back, which I think can largely be owed to Tuaolo already being retired. Still, according to our friends over at Outsports, he’s been a very good ambassador for the gay community, and currently makes his living as a motivational speaker in Minneapolis.

(Incidentally, if anyone’s got any jokes they’d like to make about anything in the previous paragraph, peddle that garbage elsewhere. You’ll be gone here if you decide to spew that sort of invective.)

We would like to wish Esera Tuaolo the best of luck as he takes on The Voice this evening. It’s kind of short notice. . .the show starts in about 20 minutes. . .but if you can set your DVR or what have you, take a minute to check it out.