He’s the first NFL player to do so.
Las Vegas Raiders lineman Carl Nassib is making history by becoming the first active NFL player to come out as gay.
Heading to Instagram, the defensive lineman announced the news on his Instagram account.
The 28 year old is the first National Football League player to come out while still competing in the sport.
He said on Instagram: “I just want to take a quick moment to say that I’m gay.”
“I’ve been meaning to do this for a while, but I finally feel comfortable enough to get it off my chest.”
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Carl was quick to remind fans that he wasn’t doing this for attention, and he simply believes that “representation and visibility are so important.”
He added that he hopes that one day videos of people coming out like his won’t be necessary.
He said: “I actually hope 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 to cultivate a culture that’s accepting, that’s compassionate and I’m going to start by donating $100,000 dollars to The Trevor Project.”
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The Trevor Project is an American charity that helps prevent suicide within the LGBTQ+ community.
The Raiders also tweeted the video, saying how proud they were of their teammate.
Carl added in a statement along with the video that he had been wanting to do this for a long time.
He wrote: “Sadly, I have agonised over this moment for the last 15 years. Only until recently, thanks to my family and friends . . . did it seem possible for me to say publicly and proudly that I’m gay.”
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“I am also incredibly thankful for the NFL, my coaches and fellow players for their support. I would not have been able to do this without them. I feel especially thankful to have had so much support when many who came before – and many even now – do not.”
Michael Sam also came out in 2014 just before his first NFL draft, but was cut from the St Louis Rams roster before the season began.
