NFL Raiders Lineman Carl Nassib Comes out as Gay

“I just want to take a quick moment to say that I’m gay,” is what Las Vegas Raider Carl Nassib said on his Instagram post which has made him the first-ever active out gay NFL player. Having played for the Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout his five-year career, he thanked the support of his team, coaches and the NFL. The defensive lineman has made LGBTQ+ and sports history while the rest of the world struggles with how to be more inclusive to the gay community.

Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke to the historic moment stating that he 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.”

Not only has Nassib come out and provided a much-needed moment for active professional players, but he is also giving back. He announced that this pride month he would be donating $100,000 to The Trevor Project which is a non-profit that works on suicide prevention amongst the lgbtq+ community.

Nassib is still under contract with the Raiders until 2022. He played college football at Penn State and was drafted in 2016 by the Browns where he spent two years before heading to Tampa. He’s currently on a 3 year $25 million dollar contract with the Raiders.

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