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Penn State head coach James Franklin has been and continues to be a big supporter of former Nittany Lions defensive end Carl Nassib. On Monday, Nassib announced to the world that he is gay. Franklin was among the many to quickly throw his support behind Nassib with a statement of his own.
Here is the full statement from Franklin, shared via Penn State’s football media relations department on Monday evening;
I am very proud of Carl for his courage and voice. This announcement doesn’t surprise me because if you know Carl, you know his strength. Carl’s story continues to add chapters which will have an impact well beyond the field of play.
His care and love for those around him, particularly those in need, has always been obvious. His generosity and advocacy for The Trevor Project is yet another shining example of his huge heart. He has inspired Fumi and I to donate $10,000 to The Trevor Project as well.
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.
Nassib is the NFL’s first active openly gay player in league history. Nassib also made a $100,000 donation to The Trevor Project, an organization focused on providing suicide prevention services to those in the LGBT community. As noted in his statement, James Franklin and his wife, Fumi, have decided to contribute to the cause as well.
Nassib led college football in sacks with 15.5 sacks during the 2015 season. He was named a consensus All-American, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and First-team All-Big Ten as a result of his terrific season. Nassib also remains the only player in Penn State history to win the Lott IMPACT Trophy.
Nassib went on to be a third-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns. After two seasons in Cleveland, Nassib was waived by the Browns in early September 2018 and picked up a day later by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With the Bucs in 2018, Nassib recorded a career-high 6.5 sacks and 12 tackles for a loss.
Nassib signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in March 2020 with a three-year contract.
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