The Tampa Bay Bucneers signed fensive end Carl Nassib — pro football's first openly gay, active player — brgg him back to where he livered two of his
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FORMER BUCS OLB CARL NASSIB IS THE NFL'S FIRST OPENLY GAY ACTIVE PLAYER
Ryan Rsell tells BBC Sport about g out as bisexual 2019 and his hop to be the first openly gay or bi man to play an NFL game. * buccaneers gay player russell *
It was maybe a transn - for people who were aaid to say they were gay.
"In the 101-year history of Amerin football's NFL, no openly gay or bisexual athlete has ever featured a regular-season game. "In llege, I thought, 'Am I turng gay? ' I know now that you don't turn gay, " he 6ft 5 footballer said any uncertaty he had about his own sexualy was put on hold when he was drafted by the Cowboys add: "The NFL lls and I get that ll om the Cowboys, and I thought: 'Well, if I was turng gay, I need to stop now.
'"Wh no openly gay players the league, Rsell said he wasn't ready at the time to be the first bee of the uncertaty of what uld transpire. Some people wh that muny believe beg bisexual is jt a route to beg gay or lbian.
* buccaneers gay player russell *
"'There's so much misogyny, which I believe is the root of homophobia' Ryan Rsell spoke at the annual Human Rights Campaign Natnal Dner 2019Rsell believ tacklg homophobia is a battle that n be won. Rsell said he if don't bee the first openly gay or bisexual player to feature the NFL, the first to do so uld be someone who is already out when drafted to the league. Michael Sam, who me out as gay while llege 2014 before he was drafted by the St Louis Rams, was close to beg the Sam only featured pre-season or practice squad gam for both the Rams and Dallas Cowboys.
There's so much misogyny, which I believe is the root of homophobia. 6 percent, intify as bisexual) there ntu to be a well of systemic bias and nceptns around bisexualy — that bi men are gay men nial and that bi women only hook up wh women to attract straight men, for example.
Earlier this year, The Bachelorette star Colton Unrwood, formerly wh the Chargers, Eagl and Rairs, also me out as gay. And June, Carl Nassib of the Rairs me out, beg the first out gay active NFL player history.
The league, fans and teammat have shown support for gay and bisexual players. So why is so hard for to rema dog the job we love? * buccaneers gay player russell *
The days, Rsell is happily a relatnship wh dancer Corey O’Brien, whose imprsive TikTok re-creatns of inic mic vios have ught the eye of Jt Timberlake and the Spice Girls, among other ’s also optimistic about Carl Nassib, who beme the first active NFL player to e out as gay 2021. "Rsell now says he hop he n be an spiratn to others like him by takg the next step and beg the first openly gay or bisexual NFL player ever to feature a regular-season game. (Rich Polk/Getty Imag for GLAAD)When Las Vegas Rairs football player Carl Nassib me out as gay last summer, he received praise for his honty and bravery.
But spe supportive ial reactns, the first openly gay active player NFL history is now whout a ’s not alone. Instanc of homophobia stadiums, locker rooms and fandom still perlate. One example Rsell pots to is former Las Vegas Rairs ach Jon Gn, whose misogynistic, racist and homophobic emails om 2010 to 2018 were tailed by The New York Tim 2021.