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Carl Nassib made queer NFL history. Now he's stepping away from the game

By Manuela López Restrepo
Published September 6, 2023 at 5:07 PM EDT
Carl Nassib played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022.
Mike Ehrmann
/
Getty Images
Carl Nassib played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022.

Carl Nassib made history when he became the first active NFL player to come out as gay. Now he's moving on to the next chapter.

Who is he? Nassib was a defensive end in the NFL.

  • Over seven seasons, he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Las Vegas Raiders and the Cleveland Browns.

What's the big deal? Nassib shared the big news via Instagram that he would be retiring from the NFL.

  • It was also on Instagram that Nassib came out as gay in 2021, posting a video where he put it simply: "I just want to take a quick moment to say that I'm gay. I've been meaning to do this for a while now. But I finally feel comfortable enough to get it off my chest."
  • Nassib says he will now dedicate himself to his company, Rayze, that seeks to better connect nonprofits to people online.

View this post on Instagram

What are people saying?

Here's what Nassib wrote in his post on Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

Want more on the NFL? Listen to the Consider This episode on why the NFL (still) has a diversity problem.

And here is Jim Buzinski, co-founder of Outsports.com, speaking to NPR in 2021 after Nassib came out about the significance of the moment:

So, what now?

  • Nassib says he looks forward to working with the NFL on diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as philanthropic efforts in the future.
  • And this is his advice to anyone with a dream of being the best: "Never let anyone convince you it's impossible. Be the best you can be in everything you do. Work hard, make smart decisions and be kind to others."

Learn more:

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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Manuela López Restrepo
Manuela López Restrepo is a producer and writer at All Things Considered. She's been at NPR since graduating from The University of Maryland, and has worked at shows like Morning Edition and It's Been A Minute. She lives in Brooklyn with her cat Martin.
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