The gridiron has transformed from a platform that was solely meant for showcasing athletic ability to one that now sees players from various walks of life attempting to contribute to the national conversation. On June 21st of 2021, former third-round draft pick and Tampa Bay Buccaneer, Carl Nassib, managed to do just that by becoming the first openly gay player in NFL history.
Advertisement
During a recent appearance on the Pivot Podcast, Nassib sat down with the former Pittsburgh Steeler, Ryan Clark, to share both the details of his journey and the motivating factors behind his decision to reveal his true identity to both his teammates and the public.
For Nassib, the journey to embracing himself unfortunately began at the deathbed of his uncle.
“My uncle, who was my mom’s youngest brother, was gay… When he was passing away of cancer… I saw him on his death bed and he was in really bad shape. I came out to him. We’re from a huge family, like 44 first cousins, and he was the only gay person in the entire family… He was like, ‘This is the biggest weight off my chest. I’m not the only one.'”
The words and passing of his Uncle Bill left a lasting impression on a then 26-year-old Nassib. In his own words, Nassib said that he felt “changed” by the experience.
Shortly afterwards, he’d finally secure a solid payday with the Raiders’ organization, allowing him to feel more secure about his place in both life and the NFL, a feeling that would ultimately embolden him.
“Five months later, I signed a great contract with the Raiders, had a bunch of guaranteed money. I felt like, damn, now they can’t touch me. Right? So, I was like, this isn’t even something I want to do, this is something I need to do.”
While Nassib was personally prepared to make a formal announcement, the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the death of George Floyd brought a temporary pause to his plans.
Given the heavily divided state of the nation at the time, the Penn State product chose to wait a bit before attempting to bring any attention to himself.
“Then COVID hit, then right before that, George Floyd got killed, and so there was a lot of turmoil with the NFL, with social justice, COVID, there’s a lot going on. So, I actually read the room in 2020. I was like, this isn’t the time, Carl. You do not need to add anything to this.”
Nassib would inevitably make his announcement just a few days prior to the 2021 regular season kicking off. From there, he’d play for a total of two more seasons, totaling five sacks across 26 games played.
His announcement saw him officially join a shortlist of openly gay or bisexual NFL players. Throughout the league’s 105-year history, there have only ever been 16 athletes who were “open” about their sexuality. But Nassib is the first active NFL player to publicly identify as gay while on an active roster.
Nassib’s revelation now serves as a hallmark of the NFL’s efforts to further its efforts revolving around inclusivity and representation, a fact that will allow his legacy to live on long after he is gone.
