Posted on 06/22/2021 9:01:36 AM PDT by Red Badger
HENDERSON, Nev. -- Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib on Monday became the first active NFL player to come out as gay.
Nassib, 28, made the announcement in an Instagram post.
"What's up people?" Nassib posted. "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.
"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 just not necessary. But until then, I'm going to do my best and do my part to cultivate a culture that's accepting, that's compassionate and I'm going to start by donating $100,000 to the Trevor Project."
Carl Nassib Bio Blast
• 3rd-round pick of Browns in 2016 NFL draft • 20.5 career sacks in 73 games (37 starts) for the Browns, Buccaneers and Raiders • Signed 3-year contract with Raiders in March 2020 • Recorded 1st career interception in Week 10 of 2020 vs. Broncos • Won the Lombardi Award as the best college football lineman/linebacker in 2015 while at Penn State • Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2015
The Trevor Project provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to the LGBTQ+ community. It commended Nassib's announcement, saying in a statement that his donation will help it "scale our life-saving crisis services to reach the more than 1.8 million LGBTQ youth who seriously consider suicide each year in the U.S."
Said Nassib: "They're an incredible organization, they're the No. 1 suicide-prevention service for LGBTQ youth in America. And they're truly doing incredible things. And I'm very excited to be a part of it, help in any way that I can and I'm really pumped to see what the future holds."
Reaction to Nassib's announcement was immediate throughout the NFL and sports world overall.
In a statement, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league "is proud of Carl for courageously sharing his truth today."
"Representation matters," Goodell said. "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."
NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith added: "Our union supports Carl and his work with the Trevor Project is proof that he -- like our membership -- is about making his community and this world a better place not for themselves, but for others."
After Nassib's announcement, Raiders owner Mark Davis told ESPN: "It's 2021. All the more power to Carl. It doesn't change my opinion of him as a person or as a Raider." Coach Jon Gruden added via text message to ESPN: "I learned a long time ago what makes a man different is what makes him great."
The team also responded to Nassib's post on Instagram with three black hearts as well as with a tweet:
Proud of you, Carl 🖤 pic.twitter.com/R9aJxYFefW
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) June 21, 2021 James Franklin, Nassib's former coach at Penn State, said, "Carl's brave announcement will forge a path for others to be true to their authentic self. I was proud of Carl when he led the nation in sacks, but I'm even more proud of him now."
GLAAD, an LGBTQ advocacy organization, called Nassib's announcement "a historic reflection of the growing state of LGBTQ visibility and inclusion in the world of professional sports."
"... Carl Nassib's story will not only have a profound impact on the future of LGBTQ visibility and acceptance in sports, but sends a strong message to so many LGBTQ people, especially youth, that they too can one day grow up to be and succeed as a professional athlete like him," GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement.
EDITOR'S PICKS
Social media reacts to Carl Nassib's announcement that he's gay Nassib joined the Raiders in 2020 as a free agent on a three-year, $25 million deal, with $16.75 million guaranteed. He had 2.5 sacks and an interception in 14 games, with five starts, for Las Vegas last season.
A third-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2016, Nassib also played two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before joining the Raiders. He came to national attention as a star of the Browns' "Hard Knocks" appearance in 2018, giving financial advice to teammates and offering his take on the existence of aliens.
Former Missouri linebacker Michael Sam became the first openly gay player to be drafted in NFL history in 2014, when the Rams took him 249th overall. He was cut by the team at the end of training camp that year and never played a regular-season game in the NFL.
Ryan Russell, a free agent at the time after playing three seasons between the Dallas Cowboys and Buccaneers, came out as bisexual in a story published by ESPN in 2019.
WHY is it so important to these people that we must know their sexual preferences?
Working hours will become far tougher for this guy.
He could have kept his mouth shut and saved himself the grief.
I suspect he’s about to be cut/supplanted and he wants to write a book.
Normal people without issues now constitute the fringe counter-culture.
It might be worth shouting “faggot!” just before the snap to maybe get an offsides call, but in the rigged NFL whoever says it will probably be kicked out of the league. I will never see this poof play so it doesn’t matter.
“Even without knowing, the Gaydar goes to 11 on that one.”
Gay males have that distinct facial look. I cannot point my finger on it but know it when I see it.
How special. Now, if he doesn’t get enough playing time or if he’s cut, he can play the homophobia card.
Not gay.
Homosexual.
What most may not know, is that Vince Lombardi himself, would have approved, he actually was pretty liberal.
In 1969, Lombardi’s Redskins included a running back named Ray McDonald, who in 1968 had been arrested for having sex with another man in public. In the Lombardi biography When Pride Still Mattered, author David Maraniss writes that Lombardi told his assistants he wanted them to work with McDonald to help him make the team, “And if I hear one of you people make reference to his manhood, you’ll be out of here before your ass hits the ground.”
Lombardi also knew about Jerry Smith.
I’ve never understood why people define themselves this way. My sister has a friend who had breast cancer and 18 years later its still her thing- I’m a breast cancer survivor! Same thing goes for this- you’re gay... So what? is there some reason we should care? Has ZERO impact on anyone but you and your closest friends, family, and associates. I’m hetero and married for 11 years this year. Do you care? Not really. So why should I spout this to everyone whom I meet like some gay people do, or like some breast cancer survivors do? I define myself as me. Not as a survivor of whatever or a practitioner of whatever. I’m a human. I guess that’s how I define myself. What I do otherwise is irrelevant for most intents and purposes and has zero impact on you or anyone else, except my closest friends, family, and associates.
Well in the end, that didn’t help Michael Sam. Nobody even remembers him now.
If you suck, you suck.
What’s the point of advertising it?
Anyone surprised the first openly gay NFL player is a Raider?
I wonder if I could get myself a check for $100,000 if I change my name to “Trevor Project”?
OMG! I am SO going back to watching the Washington Football Team now!!!
You are damned right it will.
His black teammates will act and play nice, they for damned sure won’t accept it.
While I could care less, I can only imagine some of the trash talking he’s heard in those locker rooms. Only a matter of time before he finds himself out of work.
On a side note, I’m not knocking Red Badger for posting this. People can post anything they want and its to me to read and/or comment on it.
But, this segment of the population wants to be accepted and treated as “equals” and “normal”, why then do they make such a big deal about stuff? They seek and need the attention, that’s why. It gives them pleasure putting this out there and shoving it in our collective faces. And, for me, at least, is why I’m not a fan of this segment of population, as a whole.
And I have gay friends that just go on with their lives and just do their thing.
“you’re gay... So what? “ Young, handsome, rich-I feel sorry for the women.
Well in the end, that didn’t help Michael Sam. Nobody even remembers him now.
If you suck, you suck. (more ways than one)
“this segment of the population wants to be accepted and treated as “equals” and “normal”, why then do they make such a big deal about stuff? They seek and need the attention, that’s why.”-I don’t think so. Gay slurs should not have to be put up with and straights won’t do enough to put stop it. It’s human.
Well, he’s sure playing the right sport if that’s his thing. :-P
recruitment
Hey, Nassib: NO ONE CARES, you lowlife scumbag.
Good thing I haven’t watched the National Faggot League in years.
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