Not even "coded" really, overtly homophobic I would say
People forget the whole "sportsball" meme came about in the first place because before the widespread adoption of nerd culture in the 2010s sports was inescapable and forced on everyone. It's hilarious that sports fans act like victims when they get any light mocking or pushback to their total cultural hegemony and imposition on everyone else. If you were a man and didn't like sports you were mocked as gay (which was seen as socially damaging).