Nassib becomes first NFL player to come out as gay

Las Vegas Raiders' defensive end Carl Nassib said on Monday he was gay, making him the first active National Football League player to come out publicly.

Gloria Tso reports.

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib came out as gay on Monday, becoming the NFL's first active player to do so.

In a video posted on Instagram, Nassib told his followers he would also be donating $100,000 to the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention service for LGBT+ youth in the United States.

"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 attention.

I just think that representation and visibility are so important.

I actually hope that one day, videos like this and the whole coming out process are just not necessary." Nassib further expressed his "gratitude and relief," adding that he had "agonized over this moment for the last 15 years." His announcement was welcomed by the league and his teammates.

In a statement, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote that the league was "proud of Carl for courageously sharing his truth." Nassib played at Penn State before being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2016.

He later joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before signing with the Raiders ahead of the 2020 season.

In 2014, the St.

Louis Rams' Michael Sam became the first openly gay player to be drafted by the NFL.

But he was later cut and never played in a regular season game in the league.

A handful of former NFL players have come out after retiring, starting with running back David Kopay in 1975.