Raiders star Carl Nassib becomes first openly gay active NFL player as he comes out in emotional Instagram video
RAIDERS defensive lineman Carl Nassib announced that he is gay in an emotional video posted to Instagram on Monday.
This makes him the first active player in the NFL to be openly gay.
“I just want to take a quick moment to say that I’m gay,” Nassib, 28, said in a video posted to his Instagram account.
“Sadly, I have agonized over this moment for the last 15 years,” he wrote in the same post.
The player thanked the NLF, his coaches, and his teammates for their support in his post.
He went on to say that he feels “especially thankful” to come out and receive so much support when so many who came before him did not.
“I stand on the shoulders of giants, incredible people who paved the way for me to have this opportunity,” he wrote.
“I do not know all the history behind the courageous LGBTQ community, but I am eager to learn and to help continue to fight for equality and acceptance.”
Nassib previously played for both the Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before joining the Las Vegas Raiders.
Michael Sam, a defensive lineman who played college football in Missouri, announced that he was gay before he was drafted into the NFL in 2014.
However, Sam was cut by the Rams at the end of training camp. He was lated signed by the Dallas Cowboys to their practice squad, but did not play in the regular season.
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This makes Nassib the first active player in the NFL to publicly announced that he is gay.
Also in his post, the player announced that he was partnering with the Trevor Project, which aims to prevent suicide among LGBTQ youth.
He announced he would be donating $100,000 to the project.