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

Contents:

• JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS' KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE COACH TO COME OUT AS GAY MAJOR U.S. SPORTS
• JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY
• JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH KEV MAXEN OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU
• 49ERS' KATIE SOWERS BE NFL'S FIRST OPENLY GAY ACH, SEND WOMAN TO HOLD FULL-TIME POST
• GAY ACH KATIE SOWERS NOT RETURNG TO SAN FRANCIS 49ERS NEXT SEASON
• KEV MAXEN, JAGUARS ASSISTANT STRENGTH ACH, OUT AS FIRST OPENLY GAY MALE ACH NFL BY STT THOMPSON PUBLISHED JULY 21, 2023 NFL FOX NEWS SHARE COPY LK EMAIL FACEBOOK TWTER LKEDIN REDD HISTORY OF THE NFL AND HOW BEME THE WORLD'S RICHT SPORTS LEAGUE THE NFL WAS FORMED 1920 WHEN 10 FOOTBALL TEAMS ME TOGETHER CANTON, OH, AND STARTED THE AMERIN PROFSNAL FOOTBALL ASSOCIATN (APFA), NOW KNOWN AS THE NFL. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS ASSISTANT STRENGTH AND NDNG ACH KEV MAXEN ME OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY THURSDAY, MAKG HIM THE FIRST KNOWN OPENLY GAY MALE ACH THE NFL AND MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS THE UNED STAT.  THERE ARE REASONS MAXEN CID TO E OUT PUBLICLY NOW, ONE OF WHICH IS BEG ABLE TO LEAD AN OPEN LIFE WH HIS BOYIEND, NICK, WHO HE HAS BEEN DATG TWO YEARS.  "I DON’T WANT TO FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO THK ABOUT ANYMORE," MAXEN, WHO JOED THE JAGUARS’ STAFF LAST SEASON, EXPLAED TO OUTSPORTS. "I DON’T WANT TO FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO LIE ABOUT WHO I AM SEEG OR WHY I AM LIVG WH SOMEONE ELSE.  JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS FENSIVE TACKLE JAY TUFELE (97) TALKS WH ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH KEV MAXEN DURG THE JAGUARS' ROOKIE MIMP AT TIAA BANK FIELD JACKSONVILLE, FLA., JUNE 14, 2022. (GETTY IMAG) "I WANT TO BE VOL SUPPORT OF PEOPLE LIVG HOW THEY WANT TO LIVE, BUT I ALSO JT WANT TO LIVE AND NOT FEEL FEAR ABOUT HOW PEOPLE WILL REACT." MAXEN ADD THAT HIS SUPPORT SYSTEM, WHICH CLUS FAY, IENDS AND LLEAGU, SHOWED SUPPORT, ALLOWG HIM TO MAKE THE CISN TO E OUT PUBLICLY.  RAIDERS' CARL NASSIB ON COMING OUT GAY: ‘I DIDN’T KNOW IF IT WOULD RUIN MY CAREER' "IT WASN’T UNTIL RECENTLY — AND WH THE IMMENSE LOVE AND SUPPORT OF MY FAY, MY IENDS, LLEAGU AND PEERS, AND THE URAGE AND SACRIFICE OM MY PARTNER — THAT I REALIZED I HAVE THE RIGHT AND RPONSIBILY TO LOVE AND BE LOVED, AND THAT MAYBE SHARG THIS WILL HOPEFULLY GIVE SOMEONE ELSE THE STRENGTH TO ACCEPT THEIR OWN LIFE AND TAKE NTROL OF THEIR OWN STORY," MAXEN EXPLAED.  MAXEN SAID HE IS "HOPEFUL" HIS JAGUARS LLEAGU ACCEPT HIS TTH.  "I HAVE A PRETTY GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR," HE SAID. "SO, A LOT OF THE GUYS I N JOKE WH AND NOT TAKE ANYTHG PERSONALLY." THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS VIO BOARD AFTER AN AFC WILD-RD PLAYOFF GAME AGAST THE LOS ANGEL CHARGERS AT TIAA BANK FIELD JAN. 14, 2023, JACKSONVILLE, FLA. THE JAGUARS FEATED THE CHARGERS 31-30. (DON JUAN MOORE/GETTY IMAG) "IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS DIVERSIFYG, IS A PRIVILEGE TO WORK ALONGSI KEV WHO IS HARDWORKG, DITED AND THRIVG AS A STRENGTH AND NDNG ACH FOR THE JAGUARS," JACKSONVILLE’S DIRECT OF PLAYER VELOPMENT, MARC POLLARD, TOLD OUTSPORTS.  FORMER JAGUARS CENTER BRANDON LR ALSO SAID MAXEN WAS ALWAYS SOMEONE HE ULD LEAN ON.  SUPER BOWL LIV WILL FEATURE 49ERS COACH KATIE SOWERS' HISTORIC APPEARANCE "KEV WAS A BIG PART HELPG ME PREPARE EVERY SUNDAY DURG MY LAST YEAR THE NFL" LR SAID. "HE WOULD WRE WORKOUTS FOR ME WH EXERCIS THAT WOULD HELP WH MY FICIENCI, WHICH HELPED ME BE THE BT VERSN OF MYSELF ON THAT FIELD. OUR IENDSHIP GREW WH THE TIME SPENT WORKG TOGETHER AND SHARG A LOT OF SIARI ON OUR VIEWS OF LIFE, BEG SOMEONE THAT JT GETS . "KEV, I’M PROUD TO LL YOU A IEND AND EXCED TO SEE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR YOU, KEV. I KNOW YOUR STORY N HELP SO MANY PEOPLE. YOU THE MAN, ALL SHALL BE WELL." A JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS HELMET DURG AN OFFSEASON WORKOUT MAY 30, 2023, AT TIAA BANK FIELD JACKSONVILLE, FLA. (JAM GILBERT/GETTY IMAG) MAXEN WAS HIRED JACKSONVILLE AFTER SPENDG TIME WH THE BAYLOR BEARS' AND VANRBILT COMMODOR' FOOTBALL TEAMS AS A STRENGTH AND NDNG ACH.  JOG THE JAGUARS LED MAXEN TO WORK PRIMARILY WH THE LEMEN, BOTH ON OFFENSE AND FENSE. HE VELOPED THEIR WORKOUT REGIMEN WHILE KEEPG TRACK OF EVERYONE’S PROGRS.  IN THE NFL, TAMPA BAY BUCNEERS FENSIVE LEMAN CARL NASSIB BEME THE LEAGUE’S FIRST OPENLY GAY ACTIVE PLAYER WHEN HE MA HIS ANNOUNCEMENT 2021 WHILE PLAYG FOR THE LAS VEGAS RAIRS.  SAN FRANCIS 49ERS ASSISTANT KATIE SOWERS WAS THE FIRST WOMAN AND OPENLY GAY ACH A SUPER BOWL 2020.   LINK: GET UPDAT AND MORE ON THIS STORY AT BREAKING NEWS
• JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH COACH COM OUT AS GAY IN A FIRST FOR U.S.-BASED PRO LEAGU
• HOW KATIE SOWERS BEME THE FIRST WOMAN AND OPENLY GAY ACH SUPER BOWL HISTORY
• NFL’S FIRST GAY ASSISTANT ACH HONORED BY PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS' KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE COACH TO COME OUT AS GAY MAJOR U.S. SPORTS

The NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars strength ach, Kev Maxen, has e out as gay — makg him the first male ach a U. While Maxen is believed to be the first male ach to have e out publicly as gay, there have been a few female ach U. When to players, there have only been 16 the history of the NFL to e out as gay or bisexual as of September 2022, per Outsports.

-- Jaguars assistant strength and ndng ach Kev Maxen has bee the first male ach major Amerin men's profsnal sports to publicly e out as gay, tellg he ma the cisn bee he didn't want to hi who he is any longer and to possibly spire others siar 's a cisn and move that drew praise and support om owner Shad Khan, who was a vol and emphatic supporter of a cy ordance that expand protectns on the grounds of sexual orientatn, genr inty and genr exprsn. Outsi lebacker Carl Nassib beme the first active NFL player to e out as gay and to play a game Associated Prs ntributed to this report.

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

In this story:Jacksonville JaguarsJaguars associate strength ach Kev Maxen beme the first publicly-known male ach Amerin men’s profsnal sports to e out as gay Thursday.Maxen spoke wh Outsports to share his journey and why he’s choosg to e out publicly.“I don’t want to feel like I have to thk about anymore,” Maxen said. I want to be vol support of people livg how they want to live, but I also want to jt live and not feel fear about how people will react.”Maxen, who has been wh his partner Nick for over two years, exprsed that the ntued support om the people around him helped him feel fortable to share his news.“It wasn’t until recently—and wh the immense love and support of my fay, my iends, lleagu and peers, and the urage and sacrifice om my partner—that I realized I have the right and rponsibily to love and be loved, and that maybe sharg this will hopefully give someone else the strength to accept their own life and take ntrol of their own story,” Maxen said.Maxen also noted that he reached out to Carl Nassib, who is the only known gay NFL player the league right now, back Feb. -based profsnal league to e out as gay.

Michael Sam beme the first openly gay player to be drafted when the then-St. In his 10 years wh the pany, Nick has led ESPN's verage of the Ners' 2019 Super Bowl n, Col Kaepernick's prott, the Rams makg Michael Sam the first openly gay player drafted to the NFL, Sam's subsequent pursu of a roster spot and the team's relotn and stadium saga.

JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH KEV MAXEN OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU

She's also the send full-time female assistant ach NFL jos Buffalo Bills qualy ntrol ach Kathryn Smh, who last year beme the league's first female full-time Tuday, Sowers, 31, ma more history, beg the NFL's first openly gay ach. San Francis 49ers assistant ach Katie Sowers, the first publicly out gay ach NFL history, will not return to the team for the 2021-22 season.

49ERS' KATIE SOWERS BE NFL'S FIRST OPENLY GAY ACH, SEND WOMAN TO HOLD FULL-TIME POST

-- Katie Sowers, one of the NFL's first full-time female assistants and s first openly gay ach, will not return to the San Francis 49ers next season, she said on social media ntract is expirg after four seasons wh the team as an offensive assistant, primarily workg alongsi receivers ach W Welker wh that posn group. Kev Maxen is gay. No NFL ach had ever publicly e out as gay, so Maxen, an assistant strength and ndng ach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, kept quiet about his sexual orientatn.And that ma him angry — at himself.“It was an anger and hatred of myself bee I put myself a life where I was livg by other people’s l and not by my own,” Maxen told Outsports.

GAY ACH KATIE SOWERS NOT RETURNG TO SAN FRANCIS 49ERS NEXT SEASON

Men’s profsnal sports league to e out as gay. Former San Francis 49ers offensive assistant Katie Sowers beme the NFL’s first ach to e out as gay 2017. First-year Sparks ach Curt Miller, who ached the Connecticut Sun for seven years before that, has been out for s.Acrdg to the article, Maxen ma his cisn to do so last year and reached out for advice om Carl Nassib, who 2021 beme the NFL’s first out gay active player as a member of the Las Vegas Rairs.It was Nassib who put Maxen ntact wh Outsports.

Jacksonville Jaguars assistant strength and ndng ach Kev Maxen me out publicly as gay Thursday, makg him the first known openly gay male ach the NFL and men’s profsnal sports the Uned Stat. RAIDERS' CARL NASSIB ON COMING OUT GAY: ‘I DIDN’T KNOW IF IT WOULD RUIN MY CAREER' "It wasn’t until recently — and wh the immense love and support of my fay, my iends, lleagu and peers, and the urage and sacrifice om my partner — that I realized I have the right and rponsibily to love and be loved, and that maybe sharg this will hopefully give someone else the strength to accept their own life and take ntrol of their own story, " Maxen explaed.

In the NFL, Tampa Bay Bucneers fensive leman Carl Nassib beme the league’s first openly gay active player when he ma his announcement 2021 while playg for the Las Vegas Rairs. San Francis 49ers assistant Katie Sowers was the first woman and openly gay ach a Super Bowl 2020. Katie Sowers, an offensive assistant wh the 49ers, beme the first openly gay ach the NFL back 2017.

KEV MAXEN, JAGUARS ASSISTANT STRENGTH ACH, OUT AS FIRST OPENLY GAY MALE ACH NFL BY STT THOMPSON PUBLISHED JULY 21, 2023 NFL FOX NEWS SHARE COPY LK EMAIL FACEBOOK TWTER LKEDIN REDD HISTORY OF THE NFL AND HOW BEME THE WORLD'S RICHT SPORTS LEAGUE THE NFL WAS FORMED 1920 WHEN 10 FOOTBALL TEAMS ME TOGETHER CANTON, OH, AND STARTED THE AMERIN PROFSNAL FOOTBALL ASSOCIATN (APFA), NOW KNOWN AS THE NFL. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS ASSISTANT STRENGTH AND NDNG ACH KEV MAXEN ME OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY THURSDAY, MAKG HIM THE FIRST KNOWN OPENLY GAY MALE ACH THE NFL AND MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS THE UNED STAT.  THERE ARE REASONS MAXEN CID TO E OUT PUBLICLY NOW, ONE OF WHICH IS BEG ABLE TO LEAD AN OPEN LIFE WH HIS BOYIEND, NICK, WHO HE HAS BEEN DATG TWO YEARS.  "I DON’T WANT TO FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO THK ABOUT ANYMORE," MAXEN, WHO JOED THE JAGUARS’ STAFF LAST SEASON, EXPLAED TO OUTSPORTS. "I DON’T WANT TO FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO LIE ABOUT WHO I AM SEEG OR WHY I AM LIVG WH SOMEONE ELSE.  JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS FENSIVE TACKLE JAY TUFELE (97) TALKS WH ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH KEV MAXEN DURG THE JAGUARS' ROOKIE MIMP AT TIAA BANK FIELD JACKSONVILLE, FLA., JUNE 14, 2022. (GETTY IMAG) "I WANT TO BE VOL SUPPORT OF PEOPLE LIVG HOW THEY WANT TO LIVE, BUT I ALSO JT WANT TO LIVE AND NOT FEEL FEAR ABOUT HOW PEOPLE WILL REACT." MAXEN ADD THAT HIS SUPPORT SYSTEM, WHICH CLUS FAY, IENDS AND LLEAGU, SHOWED SUPPORT, ALLOWG HIM TO MAKE THE CISN TO E OUT PUBLICLY.  RAIDERS' CARL NASSIB ON COMING OUT GAY: ‘I DIDN’T KNOW IF IT WOULD RUIN MY CAREER' "IT WASN’T UNTIL RECENTLY — AND WH THE IMMENSE LOVE AND SUPPORT OF MY FAY, MY IENDS, LLEAGU AND PEERS, AND THE URAGE AND SACRIFICE OM MY PARTNER — THAT I REALIZED I HAVE THE RIGHT AND RPONSIBILY TO LOVE AND BE LOVED, AND THAT MAYBE SHARG THIS WILL HOPEFULLY GIVE SOMEONE ELSE THE STRENGTH TO ACCEPT THEIR OWN LIFE AND TAKE NTROL OF THEIR OWN STORY," MAXEN EXPLAED.  MAXEN SAID HE IS "HOPEFUL" HIS JAGUARS LLEAGU ACCEPT HIS TTH.  "I HAVE A PRETTY GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR," HE SAID. "SO, A LOT OF THE GUYS I N JOKE WH AND NOT TAKE ANYTHG PERSONALLY." THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS VIO BOARD AFTER AN AFC WILD-RD PLAYOFF GAME AGAST THE LOS ANGEL CHARGERS AT TIAA BANK FIELD JAN. 14, 2023, JACKSONVILLE, FLA. THE JAGUARS FEATED THE CHARGERS 31-30. (DON JUAN MOORE/GETTY IMAG) "IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS DIVERSIFYG, IS A PRIVILEGE TO WORK ALONGSI KEV WHO IS HARDWORKG, DITED AND THRIVG AS A STRENGTH AND NDNG ACH FOR THE JAGUARS," JACKSONVILLE’S DIRECT OF PLAYER VELOPMENT, MARC POLLARD, TOLD OUTSPORTS.  FORMER JAGUARS CENTER BRANDON LR ALSO SAID MAXEN WAS ALWAYS SOMEONE HE ULD LEAN ON.  SUPER BOWL LIV WILL FEATURE 49ERS COACH KATIE SOWERS' HISTORIC APPEARANCE "KEV WAS A BIG PART HELPG ME PREPARE EVERY SUNDAY DURG MY LAST YEAR THE NFL" LR SAID. "HE WOULD WRE WORKOUTS FOR ME WH EXERCIS THAT WOULD HELP WH MY FICIENCI, WHICH HELPED ME BE THE BT VERSN OF MYSELF ON THAT FIELD. OUR IENDSHIP GREW WH THE TIME SPENT WORKG TOGETHER AND SHARG A LOT OF SIARI ON OUR VIEWS OF LIFE, BEG SOMEONE THAT JT GETS . "KEV, I’M PROUD TO LL YOU A IEND AND EXCED TO SEE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR YOU, KEV. I KNOW YOUR STORY N HELP SO MANY PEOPLE. YOU THE MAN, ALL SHALL BE WELL." A JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS HELMET DURG AN OFFSEASON WORKOUT MAY 30, 2023, AT TIAA BANK FIELD JACKSONVILLE, FLA. (JAM GILBERT/GETTY IMAG) MAXEN WAS HIRED JACKSONVILLE AFTER SPENDG TIME WH THE BAYLOR BEARS' AND VANRBILT COMMODOR' FOOTBALL TEAMS AS A STRENGTH AND NDNG ACH.  JOG THE JAGUARS LED MAXEN TO WORK PRIMARILY WH THE LEMEN, BOTH ON OFFENSE AND FENSE. HE VELOPED THEIR WORKOUT REGIMEN WHILE KEEPG TRACK OF EVERYONE’S PROGRS.  IN THE NFL, TAMPA BAY BUCNEERS FENSIVE LEMAN CARL NASSIB BEME THE LEAGUE’S FIRST OPENLY GAY ACTIVE PLAYER WHEN HE MA HIS ANNOUNCEMENT 2021 WHILE PLAYG FOR THE LAS VEGAS RAIRS.  SAN FRANCIS 49ERS ASSISTANT KATIE SOWERS WAS THE FIRST WOMAN AND OPENLY GAY ACH A SUPER BOWL 2020.   LINK: GET UPDAT AND MORE ON THIS STORY AT BREAKING NEWS

Now, she’s set to be both the first openly gay ach and first female ach to appear a Super Bowl.

She beme the first openly gay member of an NFL achg staff when the piece was published. She n go om the first openly gay woman achg a Super Bowl to the first openly gay woman wng a Super Bowl.

JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH COACH COM OUT AS GAY IN A FIRST FOR U.S.-BASED PRO LEAGU

Katie Sowers of the San Francis 49ers ma history last month when she me out publicly on Outsports as the first openly gay ach -- male or female — the NFL. Many of those who have dghters who are straight/gay/whatever have probably wanted to have this job and thought wasn’t possible. “If I had a gay dghter, I would be very happy to see other gay women gettg regnized like this.

The fact that she is the first gay ach and only send woman NFL history are important ton, but she will be judged on how the 49ers view her achg abili and nothg else.

HOW KATIE SOWERS BEME THE FIRST WOMAN AND OPENLY GAY ACH SUPER BOWL HISTORY

She intifi as gay.

The 49ers did not hire Sowers, 31, to be an offensive assistant workg wh wi receivers bee she is a woman or gay. Pli has been stmental helpg two gay people the NFL who told their stori publicly this year. "Katie's climb through profsnal football is huge for women everywhere, pecially gay woman, and as a gay woman means a lot to me personally, ” said Rebec Fernanz, a fensive ends ach for the Seattle Majtics of the Women's Football Alliance and a sportsster and creator of My Gay Life Podst.

NFL’S FIRST GAY ASSISTANT ACH HONORED BY PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

Buzski: Do you thk, assumg they are qualified, that an openly gay male ach would be accepted by today's NFL players? Sowers: I do believe that an openly gay male ach would be accepted jt like anyone else.