Jags' Maxen is first male Amerin pro sports ach to e out as gay - ESPN

Contents:

• MICHAEL SAM, FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER, RETIR FOR MENTAL HEALTH REASONS
• CARL NASSIB IS THE FIRST ACTIVE NFL PLAYER TO COME OUT AS GAY
• WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NFL'S FIRST ACTIVE GAY PLAYER, MICHAEL SAM?
• MICHAEL SAM SAGA MIGHT KEEP OTHER GAY NFL HOPEFULS OM G OUT, FORMER EXEC SAYS
• NFL PROSPECT MICHAEL SAM OUT AS GAY
• MEET THE 16 OUT GAY AND BI FOOTBALL PLAYERS THE NFL’S 104-YEAR HISTORY
• JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY
• BEFORE CARL NASSIB, MICHAEL SAM WAS THE NFL’S FIRST OPENLY GAY DRAFT PICK. HE NEVER PLAYED A REGULAR SEASON GAME.

MICHAEL SAM, FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER, RETIR FOR MENTAL HEALTH REASONS

Michael Sam, who 2014 beme the first openly gay player to be drafted by an NFL team, announced on Twter Friday eveng that he is walkg away om football for mental health reasons. After he failed to fd a al wh an NFL team, Sam signed wh the Montreal Alouett of the Canadian Football League, at which pot he beme the CFL's first openly gay player. 7, he beme the first openly gay player to play a regular season CFL game, though he did not register any tackl or sacks his appearanc.

CARL NASSIB IS THE FIRST ACTIVE NFL PLAYER TO COME OUT AS GAY

Carl Nassib Is The First Active NFL Player To Come Out As Gay "I jt want to take a quick moment to say that I'm gay, " he said an Instagram vio.

Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib said on Monday that he would not have been able to publicly e out as gay whout the support of the NFL and his teammat. " "I jt want to take a quick moment to say that I'm gay, " Nassib said an Instagram vio he posted on his verified Instagram acunt.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NFL'S FIRST ACTIVE GAY PLAYER, MICHAEL SAM?

" Nassib is by no means the first gay football player the NFL, but he is the first openly gay active player the league to play the regular season.

Michael Sam me out as gay followg his succsful llege reer and before the 2014 NFL draft, makg him the first publicly gay player to be drafted the NFL. One such example clus David Kopay, who was a former NFL athlete back the 1970s who me out as gay. His story was credibly spirg to future generatns of gay football players who may have faced siar challeng on their way to stardom.

MICHAEL SAM SAGA MIGHT KEEP OTHER GAY NFL HOPEFULS OM G OUT, FORMER EXEC SAYS

One such athlete is Michael Sam, the NFL's first active gay football player.

NFL PROSPECT MICHAEL SAM OUT AS GAY

Given the lack of gay reprentatn the NFL overall and the still prent stigma surroundg diverse sexualy, this was huge for football. As stated by The Huffgton Post, 2013, Sam me out as gay to his ach and teammat, beg the NFL's first active gay football player.

Acrdg to the Advote, the Amerin Psychiatric Associatn ed to list homosexualy as a mental illns. An unknown Rams player even lled Sam a homophobic slur.

MEET THE 16 OUT GAY AND BI FOOTBALL PLAYERS THE NFL’S 104-YEAR HISTORY

He was also lled slurs by a teammate durg his time at the Universy of Missouri as well, though he was apologized to after beg angry and takg a stand agast the homophobic language. Reportedly, Sam is also pro football's first openly gay ach, markg another tremendo first for the athlete his reer.

JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY

The NFL still hasn’t field an openly gay player durg a regular-season game.

6 percent of Amerins as eher gay or lbian, ’s likely that closeted draft prospects or veteran players have crossed the NFL radar sce Sam ma his proclamatn three years ago. MORE: Openly gay athlet.

MORE: Michael Sam told he's "not gay enough" and "not black enough".

BEFORE CARL NASSIB, MICHAEL SAM WAS THE NFL’S FIRST OPENLY GAY DRAFT PICK. HE NEVER PLAYED A REGULAR SEASON GAME.

Sam later tried the Canadian Football League and beme s first openly gay player to appear a regular-season game, but he ultimately left the Montreal Alouett for personal reasons.

-founr Cyd Zeigler sists the only reason Sam didn’t make a 53-man NFL roster is bee he is gay.