Las Vegas Raiders’ Carl Nassib Celebrated For Being First Active NFL Player To Come Out As Gay

Jun 24, 2021 by apost team

In a historic move, Carl Nassib, an NFL player for the Las Vegas Raiders has come out as gay and is currently the first active NFL player in the league history to do so. His decision has been lauded by other players and the public, as well as LGBTQIA+ groups across the United States. 

The New York Times reported that Nassib is a 6-foot-7, 275-pound player and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2016 draft. After playing for the Browns, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers claimed him on waivers. He signed a three-year, $25 million deal with the Raiders in March 2020, where he has since played defensive end. He is a highly celebrated player. 

Nassib was born in West Chester, and he actually comes from a football family. His father, Gilbert, played tight end at the University of Delaware in the late 1970s. He has a younger brother who played defensive end at Delaware and a cousin who played defensive back at Syracuse. He also has an older brother Ryan, who played quarterback at Syracuse and was drafted in 2013 by the Giants.

With such an incredible legacy, it is no wonder that Nassib has made his own mark in the NFL league with accolades such as the Lombardi Award, which is given to college football’s best lineman or linebacker, and the Ted Hendricks Award, which he won as the country’s best defensive end. Now, with this announcement, he continues to be celebrated by the NFL as well as the public. 

The Guardian reported that Nassib's decision to come out as gay was welcomed across the league from coaches and teams to some of the biggest names in the sport. The news outlet also added that gay players have always existed in the league, but fear of backlash from fans, teammates and their employers stopped them from coming out. Nassib may have ushered in a new era where players no longer need to hide who they are. 

Nassib announced his orientation in a video he uploaded onto social media, where he said:

"What's up, people. I'm Carl Nassib. I'm at my house here in West Chester, Pennsylvania. I just wanted to take a quick moment to say that I'm gay. I've been meaning to do this for a while now, but I finally feel comfortable enough to get it off my chest. I really have the best life, I’ve got the best family, friends and job a guy can ask for."

Nassib went onto say, "I’m a pretty private person so I hope you guys know that I’m really not doing this for attention. I just think that representation and visibility are so important. I actually hope that like one day, videos like this and the whole coming out process are not necessary, but until then I am gonna do my best and do my part to cultivate a culture that’s accepting that’s compassionate."

His decision to come out was lauded across the country. Jon Gruden, the Raiders' coach released a statement saying, "I learned a long time ago what makes a man different is what makes him great." 

apost.com

The NFL League also showed their support and said, "The NFL family is proud of Carl for courageously sharing his truth today. Representation matters. We share his hope that someday soon statements like his will no longer be newsworthy as we march toward full equality for the LGBTQ+ community. We wish Carl the best of luck this coming season." 

Other NFL Played joined in to praise Nassib, including the New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley, who tweeted, "Proud of you, brudda," and three-time defensive player of the year JJ Watt, who wrote, "Good for you Carl." 

Previous players also chimed in their support. Hall of fame quarterback Warren Moon said, "Really proud of Carl Nassib. The first active football player to ever do so. I played with several guys who never were comfortable enough to go public. They were great teammates, & obviously very talented...We live in a different time now where diversity is much more accepted. Cheers Carl, and I hope this lets other athletes know, its OK to say who you are.."

Billie Jean King, a long-time advocate for LGBTQ rights also wrote, "The ability to live an authentic life is so important. Sending love and support to Carl Nassib of the @Raiders, who has bravely made history as the 1st active NFL player to come out. He has also donated $100K to @TrevorProject. Representation and visibility matter!" 

According to The Trevor Project website, the foundation was "Founded in 1998 by the creators of the Academy Award®-winning short film TREVOR, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25." More information about this project can also be found on their Facebook Page. 

What do you think of Carl Nassib's announcement? Tell us your thoughts, and be sure to let others know about how Nassib is changing the face of the NFL as well.