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Rsell reflects on the NFL's relatnship wh LGBTQ+ players, 3 years after g out as bi</h1><span class="d-meta"><span class="article-d-duratn" aria-label="Aud Duratn">10:48</span><div class="article-d-opts"><a href=" class="article-d-dl" tle="Download the d" download="" role="button" tabx="0"><svg class="in in-download" viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-labelledby="tle"><tle id="tle">Download Aud</tle><path class="path1" d="M15 2q1.828 0 3.496 0.715t2.871 1.918 1.918 2.871 0.715 3.496q0 1.992-0.82 3.766t-2.266 3.027-3.281 1.816l0.492-0.484q0.422-0.43 0.656-1 0.219-0.531 0.219-1.156 0-0.156-0.008-0.219 1.391-0.969 2.199-2.48t0.809-3.27q0-1.422-0.555-2.719t-1.492-2.234-2.234-1.492-2.719-0.555q-1.297 0-2.496 0.465t-2.109 1.262-1.523 1.906-0.793 2.367h-2.078q-1.656 0-2.828 1.172t-1.172 2.828q0 0.906 0.355 1.68t0.934 1.27 1.285 0.773 1.426 0.277h1.172q0.273 0.687 0.703 1.125l0.883 0.875h-2.758q-1.633 0-3.012-0.805t-2.184-2.184-0.805-3.012 0.805-3.012 2.184-2.184 3.012-0.805h0.516q0.617-1.742 1.859-3.098t2.973-2.129 3.652-0.773zM13 10q0.414 0 0.707 0.293t0.293 0.707v6.586l1.289-1.297q0.289-0.289 0.711-0.289 0.43 0 0.715 0.285t0.285 0.715q0 0.422-0.289 0.711l-3 3q-0.289 0.289-0.711 0.289t-0.711-0.289l-3-3q-0.289-0.305-0.289-0.711 0-0.414 0.293-0.707t0.707-0.293q0.422 0 0.711 0.289l1.289 1.297v-6.586q0-0.414 0.293-0.707t0.707-0.293z"></path></svg></a><button class="d-embed modal--toggle" tle="Embed on your webse"><svg class="in in-embed" viewBox="0 0 108 108" aria-labelledby="tle"><tle id="tle">Embed on your webse</tle><g><path d="M0,57.6l31,13.8v-9L9.6,54.3l-0.7-0.1v-0.2l0.7-0.1L31,45.6v-9L0,50.4V57.6z M37.3,87.5h8.3l24.1-67h-8.3L37.3,87.5z M75.9,36.6v8.9l22.4,8.2l0.7,0.2l0,0.2l-0.7,0.1l-22.4,8.4v8.9L108,57.6v-7.2L75.9,36.6z"></path></g></svg></button><div id="embed-player-modal" class="modal"><button class="modal-close modal--toggle" type="button"><span class="sr-only">Close</span><span aria-hidn="te">×</span></button><div class="modal-ner"><h3>Copy the below to embed the WBUR d player on your se</h3><p><textarea id="embed-player-"><iame width="100%" height="124" scrollg="no" ameborr="no" src=";</textarea></p><button class="modal-btn-py">Copy embed </button></div></div></div></span><a class="rd-actn playable" style="text-ratn:none" tle="Rume" tabx="0"><i class="in-play in-play--article"><span class="in-play-shape"><span class="in-label" data-note="for-screen-rears">Rume</span></span></i></a></div><div class="article-meta"><span class="article-meta-em--date"><span tle="Tuday, Augt 9th 2022, 11:47:23 am">Augt 09, 2022</span></span><ul class="article-meta-em--thorlist article-meta-group"><li class="article-meta-em article-meta-em--thor"><a class="article-meta-lk article-meta-em--thor" href="/si/staff/celte-headlee">Celte Headlee</a></li><li class="article-meta-em article-meta-em--thor"><a class="article-meta-lk article-meta-em--thor" href="/si/staff/thomas-danielian">Thomas Danielian</a></li><li class="article-meta-em article-meta-em--thor"><a class="article-meta-lk article-meta-em--thor" href="/si/staff/jeante-muhammad">Jeante Muhammad</a></li></ul><div class="article-share article-share-ins"><a href=" & target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="article-share-lk" tle="Share on Facebook"><svg class="in in-facebook" viewBox="0 0 128 128" role="img" width="24" aria-labelledby="tle"><tle id="tle">facebook</tle><path display="le" d="M120.1,0H8.2c-4.4,0-8,3.6-8,8v112c0,4.4,3.6,8,8,8h60.4V78.2h-16V59.8h16V43.9 c0-14.6,8.9-24.3,26.4-24.3c7.7,0,13.1,0.9,13.1,0.9V37h-12c-5.3,0-8,3-8,8.2v14.5h18.7l-2.7,18.4h-16v49.7h32c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8V8 C128.1,3.6,124.5,0,120.1,0z"></path></svg></a><a href="mailto:?body=R.K. Rsell reflects on the NFL's relatnship wh LGBTQ+ players, 3 years after g out as R.K. Rsell reflects on the NFL's relatnship wh LGBTQ+ players, 3 years after g out as bi" class="article-share-lk" tle="Share by email"><svg class="in in-email" viewBox="0 0 128 128" width="20" aria-labelledby="tle"><tle id="tle">Email</tle><path display="le" d="M64.2,86.3l-64-48V104c0,4.4,3.6,8,8,8h112c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8V38.4L64.2,86.3z M64.2,72l64-48 c0-4.4-3.6-8-8-8H8.2c-4.4,0-8,3.6-8,8L64.2,72z"></path></svg></a></div></div></hear><sectn class="article-sectn--lead-image article-sectn--lead-image--standard"><figure class="article-fig" style="aspect-rat:1000 / 667"><picture class="article-fig-ner"><img class="article-image" src=" alt="R.K. Rsell speaks onstage durg A Night of Pri wh GLAAD and NFL on Febary 10, 2022 Los Angel, California. (Rich Polk/Getty Imag for GLAAD)"/></picture><figptn class="article-fig-ptn">R.K. Rsell speaks onstage durg A Night of Pri wh GLAAD and NFL on Febary 10, 2022 Los Angel, California. (Rich Polk/Getty Imag for GLAAD)</figptn></figure></sectn><sectn class="article-sectn--ntent hang-punctuatn article-sectn--first article-sectn--centered"><p class="">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 team.</p><p class="">He’s not alone. Former NFL player <a href=">R.K. Rsell</a> also found himself teamls and stgglg to fd a new one after g out as bisexual. When he ma the announcement Augt 2019, Rsell felt exced at first but also aaid of the rponse he would receive.</p><p class="nt-medium">“There's also the fear that beg the first active person to e out, that I won't sign another team. A fear that my lleagu won't unrstand, that I'll be shunned om the NFL, a league that is known to be very mascule, a manly man sport and tough,” Rsell says. “And a lot of the tim, culture tells that LGBTQ+ people aren't those thgs.”</p><p class="">Those fears were later found when Rsell’s opportuni wh the NFL evaporated. In an op-ed for <a href=">The Guardian</a> earlier this year, Rsell wrote that more attentn should be given to how players are treated after g out stead of only focg on their announcement.</p><p class="">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 <a href=">The New York Tim 2021</a>. While some wh the NFL say Gn is an outlier, Rsell disagre.</p><p class="nt-medium">“Even if this isn't a thread throughout the NFL or throughout male profsnal sports or leagu, 's somethg that's beg tolerated. It's somethg that's beg pacified,” Rsell says. “And a lot of the tim tolerance is even worse.”</p><p class="">Back 2019, queer former NFL player <a href=">Ryan O’Callahan</a> said there was at least one player on every NFL team who is gay or bisexual. Rsell remembers beg that posn but also unrstands NFL players are privileged. Many LGBTQ+ youth may not be able to e out at the risk of vlence, he says. A recent survey om <a href=">The Trevor Project</a> revealed that nearly half of LGBTQ+ youth serly nsired suici the past year. The survey also found anxiety and prsn were strongly prevalent among queer youth.</p><p class="">For LGBTQ+ kids hopg to bee NFL players, Rsell says he would tell them they n be whatever they want, echog a lson his mother tght him at a young age.</p><p class="nt-medium">“The person that you are is only fed by you,” he says. “There are people this league and this world that are jt like you.”</p><p class="">Sce leavg the NFL, Rsell says his life has been better than any year he spent the league. While there are still moments he wish he uld play, he says he’s proud of the person he is now.</p><p class="nt-medium">“At the end of the day, I loved what I did but I didn't love myself. I loved the guys my locker room, I loved that mararie and that brotherhood, but I didn't love me,” he says. “And that blocked any happs that I uld have got om playg football.”</p><hr/><p class=""><em><a href="> Thomas Danielian</a> produced and eded this terview for broadst wh <a href=">Todd Mundt</a>. <a href=">Jeante Muhammad</a> adapted for the web.</em></p></sectn><sectn class="article-sectn--story-group article-sectn--centered"><p class=""><em>This segment aired on Augt 9, 2022.</em></p></sectn><sectn class="article-sectn--story-group article-sectn--centered Tags_article-sectn--tags__NOKiB"><a data-ec="Article Tags" data-el="Here & Now: Edors' Picks" data-ea="Click" class="article-tag" href="/rad/programs/hereandnow/tag/here-and-now-edors-picks">Here & Now: Edors' Picks</a></sectn></article><sectn class="article-sectn--story-group article-sectn--centered"><div class="ntributor has-photo"><div class="ntributor-profile"><figure class="ntributor-profile-em ntributor-photo"><a href="/si/staff/celte-headlee"><picture><img src=" class="lazy rd-image" alt=""/></picture></a></figure><p class="ntributor-profile-em ntributor-b"><a class="ntributor-name" href="/si/staff/celte-headlee">Celte Headlee</a> <span class="ntributor-tle">Gut Host, Here & Now</span><br/>Celte Headlee is a gut host on Here & Now, wrer, journalist and thor of "Speakg of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk About Racism — and How to Do It."</p><p class="ntributor-more"><a class="ntributor-lk ntributor-b-lk" href="/si/staff/celte-headlee">More…</a></p></div></div><div class="ntributor has-photo"><div class="ntributor-profile"><figure class="ntributor-profile-em ntributor-photo"><a href="/si/staff/thomas-danielian"><picture><img src=" class="lazy rd-image" alt=""/></picture></a></figure><p class="ntributor-profile-em ntributor-b"><a class="ntributor-name" href="/si/staff/thomas-danielian">Thomas Danielian</a> <span class="ntributor-tle">Associate Producer, Here & Now</span><br/>Thomas Danielian is an associate producer for Here & Now.</p><p class="ntributor-more"><a class="ntributor-lk ntributor-b-lk" href="/si/staff/thomas-danielian">More…</a></p></div></div><div class="ntributor has-photo"><div class="ntributor-profile"><figure class="ntributor-profile-em ntributor-photo"><a href="/si/staff/jeante-muhammad"><picture><img src=" class="lazy rd-image" alt=""/></picture></a></figure><p class="ntributor-profile-em ntributor-b"><a class="ntributor-name" href="/si/staff/jeante-muhammad">Jeante Muhammad</a> <span class="ntributor-tle">Freelance Associate Producer, Here & Now</span><br/>Jeante Muhammad is a eelance assistant producer for Here & Now.</p><p class="ntributor-more"><a class="ntributor-lk ntributor-b-lk" href="/si/staff/jeante-muhammad">More…</a></p></div></div></sectn><sectn class="sectn--breakout sectn--uw"><div class="uw uw--rponsive"><div class="uw-ner"><p class="uw-label">Advertisement</p><div class="uw-ntent uw-ntent--centered"><div style="width:300px;height:50px"></div></div></div></div></sectn><div></div><div class="global-d-ponents onmand--is-playg"><div class="global-player"><d preload="to"></d><div class="global-player-bar"><div class="global-player-bar-left"><button class="global-player-bar-ntrol"><i class="in-play in-play--global-player-bar in-play--psed"><span class="in-play-shape"><span class="in-label" data-note="for-screen-rears">Rume</span></span></i></button><div class="global-player-label global-player-label--live"><div class="global-player-channel"><span>Listen Live</span></div><div class="global-player-tle"><a class="global-player-label-lk" href="/">Loadg...</a></div></div></div><div class="global-player-bar-right"><div class="global-player-x"><svg class="in in-close" viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-labelledby="tle"><tle id="tle">Close

gay nfl players

Jaguars assistant Kev Maxen has bee the first male ach major Amerin men's pro sports to publicly e out as gay, tellg he ma the cisn bee he didn't want to hi who he is any longer.

Contents:

IN 101 NFL SEASONS THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN OPENLY GAY PLAYER

Carl Nassib is the first to ever play a down as openly gay, but the rt are still trailblazers. * gay nfl players *

There are closeted gay players the NFL right now and there have been every season for as long back as I n remember and the league is rife wh straight alli who say they would wele a gay teammate. Per Outsports, Maxen is the “first publicly out male ach a major Amerin men’s pro sports league, ” wh WNBA ach Curt Miller, who publicly me out to the media as gay 2015, also a publicly out male ach an Amerin profsnal sports league. -- 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.

Michael Sam beme the first openly gay player to be drafted when the then-St Louis Rams selected him 2021, Carl Nassib, then wh the Las Vegas Rairs, beme the first active NFL player to e out publicly. In fact, as society is now much more open to people no matter their orientatn, we have seen a ton more athlet, both active and retired, e out and adm that they are homosexuals, and 's absolutely a great thg. This list will look at some of the most high profile exampl of pro athlet who have had mors about beg gay surroundg them, but aga, none of those are nfirmed and even if they were nfirmed, they would be somethg to celebrate.

MEET THE 16 OUT GAY AND BI FOOTBALL PLAYERS THE NFL’S 103-YEAR HISTORY

Kev Maxen has bee the first male ach a US men’s profsnal sports league to e out as gay. * gay nfl players *

Dpe Outsports chroniclg lerally dozens of piec of evince to the ntrary, there’s a ntued belief amongst some that NFL players would overwhelmgly reject a gay player if he me out. Wh that experience, solid veteran learship, a ach Kliff Kgsbury who has ld gay football player Stt Frantz, and a ont office that has monstrated an embrace of LGBTQ people, is easy to make the se that an out gay player wh the Cardals would be weled. The announcement today by former Patrts and Chiefs offensive leman Ryan O'Callaghan that he is gay brgs to seven the number of NFL known gay players NFL history who have played a regular season game.

Before jog Jacksonville’s achg staff, he was a strength ach for the football teams at Baylor and Febary 2022, Maxen reached out to NFL player Carl Nassib, who me out as gay 2021, to seek advice. I actually hope that like one day vios like this and the whole g-out procs are jt not necsary, but until then I’m gog to do my bt and my part to cultivate a culture that’s acceptg, that’s passnate, ” before addg that he would donate $100, 000 to The Trevor Project, a nonprof group that foc on suici preventn efforts among lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, queer and qutng youth. ”Michael Sam, an all-Amerin fensive leman at Missouri, had been viewed as the most likely to acquire that distctn when he announced he is gay before he beg chosen by the Rams the seventh round of the 2014 N.

KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH A US MEN’S PROFSNAL SPORTS LEAGUE TO PUBLICLY E OUT AS GAY

* gay nfl players *

The Dallas Cowboys signed Sam to their practice squad, but he never played a regular season Otero/Associated PrsSam’s draft stat was seen as a barometer of whether the climate of men’s pro sports was beg more acceptg of gay athlet, particularly bee Febary 2014 the N. He played for ne seasons wh the San Francis 49ers and four other teams the 1960s and 1970s, and has sce bee an activist and an ambassador for the Gay Gam, a quadrennial sportg Simmons was the send former player to announce that he was gay, dog so 1992 after his reer wh the Giants and Washgton Football Team had end. ”In recent years, the league has publicly supported Pri Month through promotnal efforts like changg official social media avatars to clu rabows and supportg the You Can Play Project, which provis rourc to enurage clivy youth sports, even as some players have ma rogatory statements about gay people wh ltle penalty or supported groups that oppose gay Wewerka for The New York TimIn 2013, Chris Culliver of the San Francis 49ers and Chris Clemons of the Seattle Seahawks ma offensive ments when asked about the prospect of havg a gay teammate.

And this rare terview — only his send sce g out — Nassib said the only reason he's talkg about beg gay is to ntue supportg the Trevor Project, a nonprof aimed at helpg LGBTQ youth wh suici preventn and crisis unselg.

Perkz/@rlnassib/@rkrelentls)When Kansas State offensive tackle and NFL hopeful Stt Frantz me out to the natn as gay, he shared that his teammat (to whom he'd e out earlier) had warmly received the news, a sign the most alpha of locker rooms may fally be ready for equaly. So Coach Vce Lombardi knew McDonald was gay when he took over learship of the team 1969, but ma clear there would be no discrimatn his locker room, those close to the legend say. Cornerback Wa Davis, who played preason wh the Tennsee Tans, Seattle Seahawks and Washgton Redsks and spent two seasons wh NFL Europe teams Berl Thunr and Barcelona Dragons, me out as gay 2012, nearly a after his retirement.

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

Kev Maxen, a ach wh the Jacksonville Jaguars, has bee the first male ach a major US-based profsnal league to e out as gay. | ITV Natnal News * gay nfl players *

He later cled to sign wh the Tennsee Tans and Dallas Cowboys before g out as gay at 24, he told Philalphia Magaze revealed to the magaze that he'd dated a male cheerlear at Purdue who had threatened to out him then. The Bachelor star and former football player (who was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted ee agent and was on the practice squad of the Oakland Rairs and the Philalphia Eagl) me out as gay April of 2021, sayg he had fally e to terms wh his sexualy and the "next step all of this was sort of lettg people know. The Rairs leman ma NFL history durg Pri Month 2021 when he me out as gay a heartfelt Instagram post, beg the first active NFL player to e out as member of the LGBTQ+ muny.

The Hampton Universy player ma history October of 2022 when he me out as gay an Instagram Story post, beg the first out gay football player at a Historilly Black College or Universy. Otherwise, we create a pattern of celebratg an athlete’s bravery while also cuttg their reer off at the exampl offer utnary Michael Sam told the world he was gay, he was drafted the seventh round 2014, the lowt pick of any SEC fensive player of the year. “It will be emotnal, hugely emotnal, ” Kopay, 79, said of what he’s expectg Monday night as he ss at his home Los Angel watchg Nassib take the field for the Las Vegas Rairs as the first openly gay player NFL history on an active roster.

“Although this story is historil and important to all of the LBGTQ muny … I agree wh Carl that the bt days are still to e when a human beg beg gay no matter what they do... Sce g out, he has bee a board member at the Gay and Lbian Athletics Foundatn, pl he created an anizatn lled Hate Any Form is Wrong, which mpaigns agast homophobia. Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib beme the first openly gay player to play an NFL game on Monday night, and may be a sign of progrs that when he spoke wh reporters afterward, that wasn’t the first thg he was asked about.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS' KEV MAXEN FIRST MALE PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY

Let’s be clear right om the start. None of the athlet are nfirmed to be gay or anythg like that. The purpose of this list is to go a b more pth about some of the mors that are surro * gay nfl players *

Las Vegas Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib ma history durg the team's opener agast the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night, beg the first openly gay NFL player to su up a regular season game.

Soon his parents cid to send Harris away om his hometown for further tn to hi is homosexual his retirement om Amerin football, Kwame Harris 2013 publilly revealed of beg a homosexual an terview wh CNN.

TOP 10 ATHLET WHO ARE RUMORED TO BE GAY

Players on 22 NFL teams have already had an out gay teammate, cludg six players wh the Arizona Cardals. * gay nfl players *

“The Rairs, the NFL, have monstrated that they support this man as a gay man, ” Zeigler said, addg that Nassib’s succsful rerd will help him quickly fd a new team.

” Former NFL player Ryan O’Callaghan, who me out as gay June 2017, after his time the league, said Nassib’s reer monstrat that players do not need to promise their LGBTQ inti sports.

THE 39 CURRENT NFL PLAYERS HAVE ALL PLAYED WH AN OUT GAY TEAMMATE

The Rairs fensive leman me out a statement posted to his Instagram acunt on Monday, beg the first active player the league to publicly intify as gay. * gay nfl players *

And while someone g out 2021 might not feel like a big al, wh that simple statement, Nassib beme the first openly gay active player NFL that simple statement, Nassib beme the first openly gay active player NFL history.

Currently, there is only one openly gay player on a profsnal men’s team the “big five” Amerin sports: Soccer player Coll Mart of the USL Champnship League (Mart me out 2018 as a member of Major League Soccer’s Mnota Uned) NFL has existed for 101 years, and that time, there has never been a player on an active NFL roster who has publicly acknowledged his gayns. ” Davis remembers spendg $1, 500 at a strip club an attempt to nceal the fact that he was gay om his spe society’s evolvg attus, the sports world seems to be movg far slower to mornize and stigmatize.

He found a temporary home shortly thereafter when he signed a two-year ntract wh the Montreal Alouett 2015 and beme the first openly gay football player to play the Canadian Football League.

THERE HAVE BEEN 11 KNOWN GAY PLAYERS NFL HISTORY

NFL player Carl Nassib is speakg ndidly a new terview about intifyg as the first openly gay active player the league" emprop="scriptn * gay nfl players *

He om a football fay, was a standout at Penn State and has tght his teammat about personal Miller/Getty ImagPublished June 22, 2021Updated June 25, 2021Las Vegas Rairs fensive leman Carl Nassib walked outsi his home Wt Chter, Pa., looked directly to his phone and did somethg that he said he hoped would one day no longer be a few brief sentenc, the 28-year-old Nassib me out as gay. Carl Nassib #94 of the Las Vegas Rairs celebrat a 31-26 w over the Los Angel Chargers at SoFi Stadium on November 08, 2020 Inglewood, How | Getty ImagLas Vegas Rairs fensive leman Carl Nassib announced on Monday that he is gay, beg the first player on an active Natnal Football League roster to e out.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS ASSISTANT STRENGTH ACH KEV MAXEN OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY

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? * gay nfl players *

We wish Carl the bt of luck this g season, " NFL Commissner Roger Gooll said a 2014, Michael Sam beme the first openly gay player to be selected the NFL draft when the St. 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. He me to natnal attentn as a star of the Browns' "Hard Knocks" appearance 2018, givg fancial advice to teammat and offerg his take on the existence of Missouri lebacker Michael Sam beme the first openly gay player to be drafted NFL history 2014, when the Rams took him 249th overall.

"Twenty years of speakg and gog out there and tg people on homophobia sports and the LGBTQ muny, the big qutn has been, 'When will the first active NFL player e out? "That's when Las Vegas Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib told the world that he was gay, a revelatn that will make him the first openly gay active player the NFL when he sus up 2021. Tuaolo has been part of the shiftg tis as an advote, givg speech, appearg ernment heargs, appearg on TV shows and wrg his tobgraphy 2006, "Alone the Trench: My Life As a Gay Man the NFL.

RAIRS’ CARL NASSIB ANNOUNC HE’S GAY, AN N.F.L. FIRST

Las Vegas Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib ma history Monday by beg the first active NFL player to e out as gay. * gay nfl players *

He's gog to be bombard by so many thgs, by so many people, and now he's the 'gay player, ' they're gog to be npickg everythg he do, like they did wh Michael Sam, " Tuaolo said, referrg to the openly gay Universy of Missouri star who was drafted the seventh round and never played an NFL game. Seven years before Las Vegas Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib beme the first active NFL player to e out as gay on Monday, an all-Amerin om the Universy of Missouri risked a promisg reer wh a public claratn.

“I am an openly proud gay man, ” Michael Sam, a 24-year-old fensive end, told ESPN and the New York Tim Febary announcement followed a surprisg 12-2 season for Missouri, which won the SEC East and then the Cotton Bowl as Sam was named the SEC fensive player of the year. On Tuday, Sam thanked Nassib for jog the ranks of LGBTQ football players, payg special tribute to the donatn Nassib ma to the Trevor Project, a nonprof foced on suici Vegas Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib announced June 21 on Instagram that he is gay, makg him the first active NFL player to e out. The NFL particular had faced cricism for allegedly askg prospects about their sexual orientatn and had been acced of hamperg players who spoke out favor of gay many profsnal athlet around the world, cludg several retired NFL players, had e out by 2014, no one who was still playg football had dared to make that move before story rurfaced on Monday when the 28-year-old Nassib, who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns 2016 and now plays for the Rairs, announced that he is gay a vio on Instagram.

BUCNEERS' CARL NASSIB, FIRST OPENLY GAY NFL STAR, SAYS 'I'M NOT HIDG'

Those who me before Carl Nassib as gay NFL players, will be among his biggt cheerlears Monday night. * gay nfl players *

He wasn’t the only gay man who stggled to fd a place the NFL after g retired NFL players have publicly intified as gay, begng wh Dave Kopay, who me out 1975, three years after leavg the sport.

“As an acplished athlete who is now the first out gay active player the NFL, Carl Nassib’s story will not only have a profound impact on the future of LGBTQ visibily and acceptance sports, but sends a strong msage to so many LGBTQ people, pecially youth, that they too n one day grow up to be and succeed as a profsnal athlete like him, ” the statement said. Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Moon add to the chos of people proud of him, and the former NFL and CFL quarterback add that he played wh some guys who were gay but didn’t feel fortable g out.

CARL NASSIB OUT AS 1ST OPENLY GAY ACTIVE NFL PLAYER

Very few NFL players have e out as gay - Most of the openly gay NFL players did so after they stopped playg. We list 10 gay players here. * gay nfl players *

(Jam Gilbert/Getty Imag)Jacksonville Jaguars assistant strength ach Kev Maxen me out publicly as gay Thursday, which mak him the first known openly gay male ach the NFL and all of Amerin men’s profsnal joed the Jaguars’ strength and ndng staff last season. Former San Francis 49ers assistant Katie Sowers ma history as both the first woman and first openly gay ach a Super Bowl was a lebacker at Wtern Connecticut State, a Divisn III program.

' 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.

GAY AND BI FORMER NFL PLAYERS EXCED TO SEE CARL NASSIB TAKE THE FIELD FOR RAIRS

Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib beme the first openly gay player to play an NFL game on Monday night, and may be a sign of progrs that when he spoke wh reporters afterward, that wasn't the first thg he was asked about. * gay nfl players *

"'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.

TOP 10 GAY NFL PLAYERS WHO ARE TLY INSPIRATNAL

"I jt want to take a quick moment to say that I'm gay," he said an Instagram vio. "I've been meang to do this for a while now, but I fally feel fortable enough to get off my cht." * gay nfl players *

Former LA Galaxy and USA footballer Robbie Rogers beme the first openly gay man to play one of the USA's big five sports leagu when he me out Febary is about to enter his sixth season the NFL, havg been a third-round draft pick by the Cleveland Browns then had a two-year spell wh the Tampa Bay Bucneers before signg a three-year al wh the Rairs March may also be terted out at 90 years old... When Nashville Predators prospect Le Prokop me out this week, was the first time an active player unr ntract to an NHL team had ever publicly acknowledged they were gay.

Overnight, Prokop's announcement doubled the number of out gay athlet currently playg the untry's four major men's sports — football, basketball, baseball and hockey. "Gay men are a fe rource, so they n't exist great numbers every quarter, " Magrath told "Gay men are overreprented some areas, and as a nsequence are gog to be unrreprented sports.

CARL NASSIB BE FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER TO PLAY NFL GAME

Nassib beme the first openly gay NFL player to play a regular season game – and helped his team to a stunng victory. * gay nfl players *

After Michael Sam beme the first openly gay athlete to be drafted to the NFL 2014, then-Miami Dolphs safety Don Jon tweeted "horrible, " rultg penalti and a spensn. There are key differenc the cultur of men's and women's athletics While few active players the major men's sports leagu have e out, many female profsnal athlet have said publicly that they're gay, om U. Nearly a year later, Missouri star Michael Sam me out as gay before beg drafted by the Rams the seventh round of the 2014 draft, and was on track to bee the first openly gay active player the NFL.

He revealed that he had a relatnship wh fellow footballer Jerry currently serv as a board member the Gay and Lbian Athletics Foundatn and is an ambassador for the Feratn of Gay Gam. He wrote an tobgraphy, Alone In The Trench: My Life As A Gay Man In The NFL, which was published 2006 and has worked wh the NFL to fight homophobia the Frankl Simmons: Roy is an offensive leman who played for both the New York Giants and the Washgton Redsks.

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

The Las Vegas Rairs are releasg Carl Nassib, the fensive end who ma history last year as the first openly gay active player NFL history. * gay nfl players *

The two ma the news recently after Kwame allegedly beat his om Yahoo Sports:The NFL has no current players and startlgly few ex-players who are known to be gay, but appears ex-49ers and Rairs offensive tackle Kwame Harris, a former first-round pick, has voluntarily been add to the list as a rult of the legal fallout om a fight at a rtrant.

CARL NASSIB, FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER NFL GAME, MAK HISTORY AND STARS THRILLG LAS VEGAS RAIRS W

Carl Nassib of the NFL's Las Vegas rairs out as first gay football player — and uld be a turng pot for LGBTQ players male sports * gay nfl players *

Like their ternatnal footballer unterparts, the men of Amerin football sometim fd themselv very gay suatns — like the pic below — which leav no choice but to shout, “Hey, Amerin football is so gay! * To be fair, the study which stated that 30% of Amerin footballers are gay is very very flawed and, although was ed published a reputable journal, don’t pass the smell tt at NFL Players: Rumored or Confirmed Gay Amerin Football Jocks. LGBTQ+ rights activist and former NFL offensive leman Ryan O'Callaghan, who grew up Reddg, spoke Wednday about former Las Vegas Rairs ach Jon rigned Monday after reports surfaced of him g homophobic and misogynistic language a seri of emails between 2011 and 2018.

Reddg LGBTQ+ activists react:Carl Nassib be first openly gay NFL playerHe later published a book "My Life on the Le: How the NFL Damn Near Killed Me and End Up Savg My Life"  2019 that tails growg up Reddg, life football and how he overme many years of prsn to bee open about his sexualy. Seekg growth om GnO'Callaghan wanted to know whether Gn had shown growth sce those emails were Vegas Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib this summer beme the first active player to announce he was gay thentilly:Ryan O'Callaghan is fortable his own skBut O'Callaghan stead saw a person who walked away and didn't take rponsibily for his actns.

7 GAY NFL FOOTBALL PLAYERS

Before Nassib beme the first openly gay active NFL player, others paved the way — and paid a steep st. * gay nfl players *

NFL's stance on gay playersO'Callaghan believ the NFL has taken posive steps towards makg the league more clive for gay O'Callaghan on Jon Gn: 'It's never OK' to e homophobic slursO'Callaghan mentned discsns he's had wh NFL Commissner Roger Gooll and how the nversatns have led to chang. Age: 23 | Last year's rankg: UnrankedLawrence vlted to the top 10 wh a stellar sophomore mpaign, throwg for 4, 113 yards and 25 touchdowns wh eight terceptns to lead Jacksonville to s first playoff berth sce ught fire the send half of the season. Retired NFL lebacker Jeff Rohrer is gay and set to bee the first former or current NFL player a same-sex marriage, he revealed a new terview published on Wednday.

In other words, where Bud Light has buckled unr prsure as bigotry grows agast the LGBTQ+ muny, Gay Water’s creator Spencer Hodson wants his new boozy brand to be the anthis of that. “The key issue that Bud Light tapped to was the fact that they didn’t unrstand their re dience and know enough about them,” Hodson, a gay man, told CNN about the ntroversy that began when the Anhser-Bch beer brand sent fluencer Dylan Mulvaney a n of beer. Hodson built up a strong social media followg on TikTok and Instagram durg Covid-19 and is g some of the money om that (as well as om iends and fay) to help fund Gay Water.

CARL NASSIB, FIRST OPENLY GAY NFL PLAYER, TO BE RELEASED BY RAIRS

The Rairs leman says ’s about time that he me out as gay. * gay nfl players *

“Gay is an umbrella term and the ia behd the brand is to be as clive as possible, which means we want alli, we want straight people to be part of this muny we’re buildg.”. Gay Water might not have the ep pockets pared to s petors, like Whe Claw, but “even at small sle, pani of many siz are havg succs makg spir-based seltzers and premixed cktails,” Bryan Roth, an analyst for Feel Goods Company and edor of the alhol beverage newsletter, Sightl+, told CNN.

“There’s lots of space the spir-based seltzer tegory which Gay Water n play, pecially if the brand n offer a cultural or emotnal nnectn that will feel more excg than the prospect of another peapple-flavored vodka seltzer om natnal or ternatnal rporatns,” Roth said.

Of urse, other drks e the word “gay,” too, cludg Gay Beer and So Gay Rosé, Hodson noted, which are also tryg to reach the queer muny and offer them an alternative the straight-domated space.

CARL NASSIB, THE FIRST OPENLY GAY ACTIVE NFL PLAYER, ULD BE TURNG POT FOR MALE SPORTS

Jacksonville Jaguars associate strength ach Kev Maxen has e out as gay. His announcement is a first for a male ach a major U.S.-based profsnal league. * gay nfl players *

CARL NASSIB, THE FIRST OPENLY GAY N.F.L. PLAYER, HAS BEEN A FOOTBALL EVERYMAN

Rairs DE Carl Nassib beme the first active NFL player to e out as gay, announcg the news an Instagram post Monday while pledgg $100,000 to the Trevor Project. * gay nfl players *

RAIRS’ CARL NASSIB OUT AS GAY, THE FIRST ACTIVE NFL PLAYER TO DO SO

Carl Nassib, a fensive leman wh the Las Vegas Rairs, beme the first active NFL player league history to announce that he is gay. * gay nfl players *

RAIRS PLAYER CARL NASSIB OUT AS GAY, FIRST ACTIVE PLAYER NFL HISTORY

Kev Maxen is now the first openly gay male ach the NFL. * gay nfl players *

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

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. * gay nfl players *

CARL NASSIB OF LAS VEGAS RAIRS ANNOUNC HE IS GAY, PLEDG $100,000 TO TREVOR PROJECT

Las Vegas Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib be the first active NFL player to e out as gay. * gay nfl players *

EX-PACKERS LEMAN AND LGBTQ+ ADVOTE ESERA TUAOLO RELIEVED AND PROUD TO SEE FIRST OPENLY GAY ACTIVE NFL PLAYER

Two athlet recently g out has highlighted the arth of openly gay players the world of U.S. men's profsnal sports, often dubbed "the last closet" for s lack of LGBTQ reprentatn. * gay nfl players *

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

Las Vegas Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib said he me out as gay bee he felt an "obligatn" to brg LGBTQ reprentatn to the NFL * gay nfl players *

CARL NASSIB OF LAS VEGAS RAIRS IS FIRST ACTIVE NFL PLAYER TO ANNOUNCE HE IS GAY

Gay NFL players. Rumored or out homosexual or gay Amerin football players wh the Natnal Football League. List clus retired and current NFL jocks. * gay nfl players *

JAGUARS ASSISTANT STRENGTH AND NDNG ACH KEV MAXEN OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY

The Natnal Football League clared, "Football is gay," a vio shared on Twter on Monday rponse to player Carl Nassib's g out. * gay nfl players *

NFL: CARL NASSIB BE FIRST ACTIVE PLAYER TO E OUT AS GAY

WHY THERE ARE FEW OPENLY GAY ATHLET IN MEN'S PROFSNAL SPORTS

CARL NASSIB, FIRST OPENLY GAY ACTIVE NFL PLAYER, SAYS HE’S DATG SOMEONE ‘AWOME’

NFL PLAYERS REACT TO CARL NASSIB G OUT AS GAY

FAMEWATCHER SEARCH PRIMARY MENU SKIP TO NTENT HOMECELEBRY HAIR TRANSPLANTCELEBRY PLASTIC SURGERYCELEBRY LEATHER JACKETBODY SHAPER SEARCH FOR: SPORTS IS SO GAYGAY NFL PLAYERS: OUT OR RUMORED GAY AMERIN FOOTBALL JOCKS

NFL PROUDLY CLAR 'FOOTBALL IS GAY' NEW VIO

JEFF ROHRER — RETIRED DALLAS COWBOYS LEBACKER — COM OUT AS GAY, REVEALS HE'S GETTG MARRIED

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY NFL PLAYERS

Top 10 Gay NFL Players Who Are Tly Inspiratnal - Blog .

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