Carl Nassib Comes Out As First Openly Gay NFL Player

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib has made history after coming out as gay, making him the first openly gay NFL player ever.

Nassib made a statement on Instagram to come out during Pride Month. He said that he’s been meaning to do this for a while, and he has to live his best life now. He has his friends and family behind him as well, and although he’s a private person, he has decided that representation matters.

“I just want to take a quick moment to say that I’m gay,” Nassib said in a video on his Instagram. “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 could ask for. I’m a pretty private person, so I hope you guys know I’m not doing this for attention, but I think representation matters.”

Nassib was drafted out of Penn State during the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He’s played for the Browns, Buccaneers, and Raiders and he has racked up 20.5 career sacks. 

Nassib also announced a $100k donation to the Trevor Project, a well-known LGBTQ charity. This is a big step forward for inclusion in the NFL and hopefully his act will encourage others in the process.