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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 article-sectns"><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--bo sectn--bp"><div class="uw bp--rponsive"><div class="bp-ner"><p class="bp-label">Advertisement</p><div class="bp-ntent bp-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 picks

"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."

Contents:

ARIZONA CARDALS SELECT GAY FOOTBALL PLAYER TO ANNOUNCE 3RD ROUND NFL DRAFT PICK

Joel Horton is a longtime member of the Phoenix Gay Flag Football League. * gay nfl picks *

The third round pick of the Arizona Cardals at the 2022 NFL Draft will be announced by a gay flag football player om the Phoenix area, Outsports has learned. Joel Horton has been a member of the Phoenix Gay Flag Football League sce 2013, when he moved to the area.

Prevly he had played the New York Gay Flag Football League.

He has participated multiple Gay Bowls, the annual world champnship for gay flag football. Horton is also the Gay Bowl liaison for the Natnal Gay Flag Football League. In 2021, the Cardals were a ma sponsor of the Gay Bowl Phoenix.

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

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

“They wanted to make a pot that was important to them, ” Horton said of the Cardals’ volvement Gay Bowl.

Var other NFL clubs have sponsored their lol LGBTQ flag football leagu and the Gay Bowl, cludg the New England Patrts, New York Giants and Denver Brons.

MICHAEL SAM (RAMS, PICK NO. 249) IS FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER DRAFTED

Former Missouri fensive end Michael Sam ma history Saturday, beg the first openly gay player to be selected the NFL Draft. * gay nfl picks *

Horton, a Cardals (and specifilly Larry Fzgerald) fan is the first publicly out gay man we know of to announce an draft pick for an NFL anchise.

One thg we know is that Horton will not be announcg the name of a publicly out gay player as the Cardals’ pick, as there are none this year’s NFL Draft (though there are undoubtedly gay players up for grabs). 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.

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

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

Louis Rams ma him the 249th overall choice the 2014 NFL Missouri fensive end beme the first openly gay player to be drafted league history and seeks to be the first openly gay athlete ever to play the of Sam receivg the ll om the Rams and ach Jeff Fisher revealed the player's emotn while surround by iends, fay and his 's emotn rried over to a nference ll wh the St. "Sce Febary and my big announcement, this has been a whole [lot of] speculatn of the first openly gay football player, but you know what?

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

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 picks *

Now he'll get the chance jt a uple of hours down the road om his llege home Columbia, announced that he is gay on ESPN before Febary's NFL sutg be. "Obvly people are gog to make somethg out of , " Long told "He's not the first gay player to ever play football.

He might be the first openly gay profsnal football player, but there's all typ of people om all over an NFL locker room, really is a meltg pot and never ceas to amaze me how a locker room n jt mh, people om all different walks of life, so I don't thk 's an issue. "Brooklyn Nets center Jason Colls, who this season beme the NBA's first openly gay player, said is a "great day for the NFL and Michael and his fay. Some people still believe that the NFL is a “homophobic” monolh where ’s “dangero” to be gay.

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. So we set out to figure out how many current NFL players have already played on the same team wh an out gay teammate. We found 39 current NFL players, who were on a roster for the 2020 season, who have already had an out gay teammate.

JAGUARS ASSISTANT KEV MAXEN BE FIRST MALE ACH MAJOR MEN'S PRO SPORTS TO INTIFY 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 picks *

In addn, dozens of other players have played agast an opponent they knew to be gay. Those gay athlet are all still alive today.

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

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The 39 current NFL players have played wh at least five gay or bisexual men who were out to their team while they were on the same team.

The Arizona Cardals have the most players we know have played wh an out gay teammate. At least six of the players on the Cardals’ 2020 roster — about 10% of the team, — has already had a gay teammate they knew of. And they have llectively played llege wh all five out gay players.

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. Of urse many other NFL players have played wh a gay or bi teammate before they me out (e. The are the current NFL players to have played wh an out gay or bi man on their team (wh that team and their current team listed):.

7 GAY NFL FOOTBALL PLAYERS

Nassib’s g-out announcement has been met wh largely posive rpons, a receptn other football players who publicly intified as gay, like Dave Kopay, did not experience. * gay nfl picks *

If you thk I’ve missed a current NFL player who’s played wh an out gay or bi teammate, be sure to leave the rmatn the ments below. NEW YORK -- In the leadup to the NFL Draft, former Missouri fensive end Michael Sam was one of the most well-known fensive players out there after he beme the first openly gay NFL prospect. Though he ma huge headl when he announced that he was gay the leadup to the draft, Sam was never really thought of as more than a late-round pick and/or a potential undrafted ee agent.

Hearg the #NFLDraft is beg shown at gay bars everywhere. Clearly teams are worried about the fact a gay player terrifi them...

The NFL has played for more than 100 years and there have been 16 gay or bi players to e out publicly. 16 and the first one to e out as gay while on an active roster.

'FOOTBALL IS GAY': NFL RELEAS ACCEPTANCE VIO AMID CARL NASSIB COMG OUT, PRI MONTH

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 picks *

Over the years, Outsports has known of a few other players who are gay but have never e out, even when retired. The NFL Network produced a documentary on Smh beg gay. Jenks is gay and this was the the first time he wily discsed his sexual orientatn.

In June, Carl Nassib of the Rairs me out as gay.

I jt want to take a quick moment to say that I'm gay.

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

The NFL fed kicker Matt Gay for the length of his pants. He cid to make a huge adjtment to avoid future punishment. * gay nfl picks *

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.

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. Dpe reachg out several tim, I haven’t spoken to my sports agent aga to this 2021, Carl beme the first NFL player on an active roster to e out as gay.

The Big Apple simply has all for LGBTQ+ football fans, om Greenwich Village to Broadway and wh plenty of rtrants and gay clubs. The famed Cy by the Bay has been a gay mec for s now, wh s rich history of Harvey Milk, the Castro, and a liberte attu of anythg go.

OPN: NFL'S CLARATN THAT 'FOOTBALL IS GAY' SIGNALS LEAGUE'S ONGOG EVOLUTN

It's also home of the famed Philly cheteak, but you're wele to fd and enjoy a different kd of cheteak the many gay clubs and bars the Eagl' by Getty Imag. Da' Bears are one of the league's olst teams, and Chigo is also one of the untry's great party towns for straight or gay folks. 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.

LOS ANGEL RAMS KICKER MATT GAY POK FUN AT NFL UNIFORM VLATN TWEET

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.

ARIZONA CARDALS SELECT GAY FOOTBALL PLAYER TO ANNOUNCE 3RD ROUND NFL DRAFT PICK

" "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. " 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.

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. Here's a list of players llege and pro ball who have proved you n be gay or bi and still n the gntlet.

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7 Gay NFL Football Players .

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