On Monday, via his Instagram account, Raiders defensive lineman Carl Nassib announced that he is gay, making him the first active player to do so in NFL history. Selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2016 draft out of Penn State, Nassib has totaled 21 sacks, 27 quarterback hits, 93 quarterback hurries, and 96 stops through a five-year career that has had stops in Cleveland, Tampa, and now Las Vegas, but it’s safe to say that today’s announcement will be the most important thing Nassib does in his career.
“Hey everyone, happy Pride Month,” Nassib said in his full Instagram statement. “Right now, I am sitting in a moment of gratitude and relief. Sadly, I had agonized over this moment for the last 15 years. Only until recently, thanks to my family and friends, especially Connor, Cason, and Francis, did it seem possible for me to say publicly and proudly that I’m gay. I’m also incredibly thankful for the NFL, my coaches, and fellow players for their support. From the jump, I was treated with the utmost respect and acceptance.
“I truly love my life and cannot understand why I have been blessed with so much. I feel especially thankful to have had so much support when many who came before — and many even now — do not. I stand on the shoulders of giants, incredible people who paved the way for me to have this opportunity. I do not know all the history behind our courageous LGBTQ community, but I am eager to learn and help continue the fight for equality and acceptance.
“As I mentioned in my video message, I am partnering with the Trevor Project. I was immediately drawn to the Trevor Project when I learned about their mission to provide suicide prevention services to the LGBTQ community. Young LGBTQ kids are over 5x more likely than their straight friends to commit suicide. For someone like me, who has been so lucky and cherishes every day, it brings me incredible sadness to think that our LGBTQ youth are at such an elevated risk for suicide. I feel an immense responsibility to help in any way I can — and you can, too. Studies have shown that all it takes is one accepting adult to decrease the risk of an LGBTQ kid attempting suicide by 40%. Whether you’re a friend, a parent, a coach, or a teammate — you can be that person.
“Lastly, I hope everyone can understand that I am just one person. I am a lanky walk-on who is living his dream. I only have a small window to achieve greatness in my sport and I owe it to my team, coaches, and Raider fans to be completely locked in and at my best for the upcoming season. I’m a private person, so I’ll ask the media to give me some space as I navigate this exciting time in my life. Please do not take it personally if I decline an interview or am unable to answer your questions. Thank you everyone for your support.
“Happy Pride Month and Go Raiders.”
Founded in 1998 by the creators of the Academy Award-winning short film TREVOR, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25.
Nassib is not the first NFL player to play in the league after he came out — former Rams linebacker Michael Sam came out before the team selected him in the seventh round of the 2017 draft, but Sam never played in a regular-season game.
More prominent players have played in the NFL while hiding their sexuality until after their playing careers were over — in some instances, until their lives were over. Tight end Jerry Smith, who played with the then-Washington Redskins from 1965 through 1977, died of AIDS in 1986. Though he never said publicly that he was gay during his life, Smith’s secret was revealed in a 2014 NFL Films documentary.
“He was living in real fear,” says Smith’s friend, David Mixner, who is also homosexual, “and really alone and terrified that he was gonna lose everything. “It’s real important not to look back on this with 2013 eyes. This was a horrendous existence.”