By . Lydia Warren . PUBLISHED: . 16:25 EST, 1 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:49 EST, 2 February 2013 . When four of the San Francisco 49ers starred in an anti-bullying video for the 'It Gets Better Project' last year, they were praised for being the first in the sport to take a public stand against homophobia. But two of the players have now said they never appeared in the video - and when they were shown the footage, they claimed they did not realise it was in support of LGBT teenagers. The bizarre responses from linebacker Ahmad Brooks and nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga come days after teammate Chris Culliver said gay people were not welcome on the team during a radio interview. In response to the strange denials, the It Gets Better Project has now removed the clip from its website, its co-founder Dan Savage announced. Denial: 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks claimed he did not know a video he filmed for the It Gets Better Project was to support LGBT teens. He is pictured in the video, which came out in August . Strange: Nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga also did not know what the video was for when he was asked about it . The one-minute video features Brooks, Sopoaga, safety Donte Whitner and nose tackle Ricky Jean Francois. Whitner is the only player in the clip to make a direct reference to the gay community. 'The San Francisco 49ers are proud to join itgetsbetter.org to let all . LGBT teens know that it gets better,' said Whitner. On . behalf of the entire 49ers organization, we are on your side. And we . promise: It gets better.' When USA TODAY Sports approached Brooks and Sopoaga, they denied being part of the video. 'I didn't make any video,' Brooks . said. 'This is America and if someone wants to be gay, they can be gay. It's their right. But I didn't make any video.' When the reporter said he did, Brooks added: 'I don't remember that. I think if I made a video, I'd remember it.' Role model: Linebacker Ahmad Brooks is pictured against the Seattle Seahawks in October last year . Vehement: Sopoaga, pictured, at first claimed that his name was being used mistakenly on the video . After he was shown the video, he said: 'Oh, that. It was an anti-bullying video, not a gay (rights) video.' When the reporter told Brooks that many bullied teens are picked on for their sexuality, he said: 'I know that. I know that. Okay, you're right and I'm wrong. Are you from one of those New York newspapers?' Sopoaga also denied making the video, insisting: 'I never went. And now someone is using my name.' When he was shown the video, he asked what it was for. The 49ers were encouraged to take part in the campaign by Sean Chapin, a lifelong 49ers fan who launched a petition on Change.org . that received more than 16,000 signatures. Annoyed: Dan Savage, co-founder of the It Gets Better Project, tweeted the video has been taken down . Campaign: The project was set up in response to a series of suicides of gay teens who had been bullied . 'With their "It Gets Better" video, the 49ers are shining a golden . beacon of hope to LGBT youth, and as a gay man, I enthusiastically . applaud their courage and leadership,' Chapin said in August. Scott Zumwalt of the 'It Gets Better Project' added: 'Many (49ers) wanted to be in it, but they picked the most intimidating guys to deliver the message.' But on Thursday, co-founder Dan Savage announced on Twitter than the video would be taken down in light of the players' attempts to distance themselves from it. 'We've removed the #49ers #ItGetsBetter video from our website #homophobia #NFL #horses***' he wrote. It comes as yet more embarrassment . for the Super Bowl-bound team after Culliver, made startling remarks . during a radio interview this week with comedian and radio host Artie . Lange. Offensive: Earlier this week, 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver made anti-gay remarks to a radio host . On the radio: Culliver made the comments in an interview with radio host and comedian Artie Lange . Lange asked the 24-year-old: 'Do any gay guys approach you?' Without so much as a pause to even think about the question, Culliver shot back: 'I don't do the gay guys man. I don't do that.' When . asked if he believed there were any gay players on the 49ers roster, . Culliver responded: 'No, we don't got no gay people on the team, they . gotta get up out of here if they do. He added: 'Can't be with that sweet stuff... Can't be... in the locker room man. Nah.' 'OK, so they'd have to keep it a secret?' Lange asks. Culliver responds: 'Yeah, you gotta come out 10 years later after [retirement].' Secretive: Last year, former 49er Kwame Harris was arrested for allegedly assaulting a former boyfriend in Menlo Park, California. Until then, Harris was extremely secretive about his sexual orientation . The comments were immediately met with outrage from gay rights groups, 49ers fans and Culliver's bosses and teammates. Later on Wednesday, the player backtracked, issuing a nonsensical statement of apology, blaming his behavior on the thoughts in his head. 'The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel,' he said. 'It has taken me seeing them in print to realize that they are hurtful and ugly. Those discriminating feelings are truly not in my heart. Further, I apologize to those who I have hurt and offended, and I pledge to learn and grow from this experience.'
Ahmad Brooks and Isaac Sopoaga denied taking part in the campaign .
The It Gets Better Project has now removed the video from its website .
Comes just days after teammate Chris Culliver made derogatory remarks about gay people during an interview .
By . Lydia Warren . PUBLISHED: . 16:25 EST, 1 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:49 EST, 2 February 2013 . When four of the San Francisco 49ers starred in an anti-bullying video for the 'It Gets Better Project' last year, they were praised for being the first in the sport to take a public stand against homophobia. But two of the players have now said they never appeared in the video - and when they were shown the footage, they claimed they did not realise it was in support of LGBT teenagers. The bizarre responses from linebacker Ahmad Brooks and nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga come days after teammate Chris Culliver said gay people were not welcome on the team during a radio interview. In response to the strange denials, the It Gets Better Project has now removed the clip from its website, its co-founder Dan Savage announced. Denial: 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks claimed he did not know a video he filmed for the It Gets Better Project was to support LGBT teens. He is pictured in the video, which came out in August . Strange: Nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga also did not know what the video was for when he was asked about it . The one-minute video features Brooks, Sopoaga, safety Donte Whitner and nose tackle Ricky Jean Francois. Whitner is the only player in the clip to make a direct reference to the gay community. 'The San Francisco 49ers are proud to join itgetsbetter.org to let all . LGBT teens know that it gets better,' said Whitner. On . behalf of the entire 49ers organization, we are on your side. And we . promise: It gets better.' When USA TODAY Sports approached Brooks and Sopoaga, they denied being part of the video. 'I didn't make any video,' Brooks . said. 'This is America and if someone wants to be gay, they can be gay. It's their right. But I didn't make any video.' When the reporter said he did, Brooks added: 'I don't remember that. I think if I made a video, I'd remember it.' Role model: Linebacker Ahmad Brooks is pictured against the Seattle Seahawks in October last year . Vehement: Sopoaga, pictured, at first claimed that his name was being used mistakenly on the video . After he was shown the video, he said: 'Oh, that. It was an anti-bullying video, not a gay (rights) video.' When the reporter told Brooks that many bullied teens are picked on for their sexuality, he said: 'I know that. I know that. Okay, you're right and I'm wrong. Are you from one of those New York newspapers?' Sopoaga also denied making the video, insisting: 'I never went. And now someone is using my name.' When he was shown the video, he asked what it was for. The 49ers were encouraged to take part in the campaign by Sean Chapin, a lifelong 49ers fan who launched a petition on Change.org . that received more than 16,000 signatures. Annoyed: Dan Savage, co-founder of the It Gets Better Project, tweeted the video has been taken down . Campaign: The project was set up in response to a series of suicides of gay teens who had been bullied . 'With their "It Gets Better" video, the 49ers are shining a golden . beacon of hope to LGBT youth, and as a gay man, I enthusiastically . applaud their courage and leadership,' Chapin said in August. Scott Zumwalt of the 'It Gets Better Project' added: 'Many (49ers) wanted to be in it, but they picked the most intimidating guys to deliver the message.' But on Thursday, co-founder Dan Savage announced on Twitter than the video would be taken down in light of the players' attempts to distance themselves from it. 'We've removed the #49ers #ItGetsBetter video from our website #homophobia #NFL #horses***' he wrote. It comes as yet more embarrassment . for the Super Bowl-bound team after Culliver, made startling remarks . during a radio interview this week with comedian and radio host Artie . Lange. Offensive: Earlier this week, 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver made anti-gay remarks to a radio host . On the radio: Culliver made the comments in an interview with radio host and comedian Artie Lange . Lange asked the 24-year-old: 'Do any gay guys approach you?' Without so much as a pause to even think about the question, Culliver shot back: 'I don't do the gay guys man. I don't do that.' When . asked if he believed there were any gay players on the 49ers roster, . Culliver responded: 'No, we don't got no gay people on the team, they . gotta get up out of here if they do. He added: 'Can't be with that sweet stuff... Can't be... in the locker room man. Nah.' 'OK, so they'd have to keep it a secret?' Lange asks. Culliver responds: 'Yeah, you gotta come out 10 years later after [retirement].' Secretive: Last year, former 49er Kwame Harris was arrested for allegedly assaulting a former boyfriend in Menlo Park, California. Until then, Harris was extremely secretive about his sexual orientation . The comments were immediately met with outrage from gay rights groups, 49ers fans and Culliver's bosses and teammates. Later on Wednesday, the player backtracked, issuing a nonsensical statement of apology, blaming his behavior on the thoughts in his head. 'The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel,' he said. 'It has taken me seeing them in print to realize that they are hurtful and ugly. Those discriminating feelings are truly not in my heart. Further, I apologize to those who I have hurt and offended, and I pledge to learn and grow from this experience.'
from linebacker Ahmad Brooks and nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga come days after teammate Chris strange denials, the It Gets Better Project has now removed the clip from its website, its encouraged to take part in the campaign by Sean Bowl-bound team after Culliver, made startling