Carl Nassib became the first active player in the NFL to come out as gay.
Nassib, a 28-year-old defensive end for the Las Vegas Raiders, said in an Instagram video on Monday that he finally felt “comfortable enough” to share his sexual identity with the public. Other NFL players have come out as gay or bisexual in the past but not while actively playing for the professional football league.
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“What’s up, people?” he said. “I’m at my house here in West Chester, Pennsylvania. I just want 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 could ask for.”
“Sadly, I have agonized over this moment for the last 15 years,” he said in a written portion of the post, adding that the NFL, as well as his coaches and other players, have supported him as he decided to come out.
“I would not have been able to do this without them,” he said. “From the jump, I was greeted with the utmost respect and acceptance.”
Nassib also pledged to donate $100,000 to The Trevor Project, a nonprofit group providing suicide prevention services to young LGBTQ people.
“It’s 2021,” Raiders owner Mark Davis told ESPN. “All the more power to Carl. It doesn’t change my opinion of him as a person or as a Raider.”
Nassib joined the Raiders in 2020 on a three-year free-agent contract.
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“I’m a pretty private person, so I hope you guys know that I’m really not doing this for attention,” Nassib said. “I just think that representation and visibility are so important. I actually hope that one day, videos like this and the whole coming-out process are just not necessary.”
“Representation matters,” said Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL, in a statement. “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.”
