Detroit Lions

Gay football players NEED to have thick skin ... 'cause there's a 100% chance they'll get "teased" in an NFL locker room if they come out ... so says NFL legend Barry Sanders.

The Detroit Lions icon had just touched down in New Orleans last night when we asked him if gay players pose a "problem" in NFL locker rooms.

Sanders response -- absolutely not -- adding, "I don't know that there haven't been MANY gay players [in the past]."

Comedian Louie Anderson narrowly averted disaster this week at a taping of "Splash" -- because he nearly sank to the bottom of the pool from sheer exhaustion -- but thankfully, Detroit Lions star Ndamukong Suh came to the rescue.

Sources close to the production tell TMZ, Louie -- who's a contestant on the show -- was practicing his dives on Wednesday when he became a little too bushed to pull himself up the ladder ... falling back into the water again and again.

We're told Louie eventually had to be rescued by Suh and divemaster Greg Louganis -- who physically lifted the foundering funnyman to the poolside. Louie then sat coughing up water for several seconds.

Despite the scare, we're told Louie's gonna be fine -- his rep says Louie is already “feeling great, loving the challenge."

Ndamukong Suh should NEVER have signed up to compete on "Celebrity Diving" ... this according to several of Suh's Detroit Lions teammates who tell TMZ the decision is shockingly irresponsible.

We broke the story ... Suh -- who's in the middle of a 5-year $68 MILLION contract with the Lions -- recently joined the cast of the ABC reality show ... and will be required to launch his 6'4", 307-pound body off a high diving board.

TMZ spoke to a BUNCH of Suh's teammates ... who all feel (very strongly) that he's making a huge mistake.

One source tells us ... "We need him on the field and if he gets hurt during the off-season doing wild stunts ... it would be bad and it ain't worth it. He is too valuable to the team."

Another source expressed similar concerns -- "if he gets a busted ear drum or an infection, it could have serious effects on his off-season training."

Several of Suh's teammates also told us they were surprised the organization would allow him to participate in the first place ... since there is a real serious risk he could hurt himself.

During the first quarter of the Lions game today, the announcer, Chris Myers was talking about a player who was on the Pittsburgh Steelers last season but now plays for Detroit. He said, "Going from two Super Bowls in Pittsburgh to the winless Detroit team -- that's like going from dating Beyonce to Whoopi Goldberg."

Now, Mark's a smart guy, as evidenced by his college degree and the fact he was the only USC player to answer our impromptu "current events quiz" during the Rose Bowl -- but why would anyone on the planet have any legitimate desire to play for the worst team in the history of professional sports?