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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><div class="article-sectns"><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></div><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 football players 2022

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

Contents:

JAKE DANIELS BE FIRST UK MALE FOOTBALLER TO E OUT AS GAY SCE 1990

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 football players 2022 *

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 Blackpool forward Jake Daniels has end s of silence wh men’s football to bee the first player the UK to e out as gay sce Jt Fashanu 1990. Photograph: Pl Dennis/TGS Photo/ShutterstockDaniels’s revelatn is a strikg landmark that when men’s football is more engaged wh social issu than any recent time, but still unable to ce progrs LGBTQ reprentatn wh the year Alai Uned’s Josh Cavallo beme the only male top-flight profsnal footballer the world to e out as gay, but others are yet to follow. In six months the men’s World Cup will be played Qatar, where homosexualy is illegal, and Cavallo revealed to the Guardian he would be “sred” to play at the tournament, the pnacle of world English football specifilly, the shadow of the talented and unfulfilled Fashanu still lgers over the game.

JOSH CAVALLO: ONLY OPENLY GAY TOP-FLIGHT MALE FOOTBALLER SAYS FIFA’S ‘ONELOVE’ ARMBAND BAN HAS MA HIM FEEL ‘EXCLUD’

Josh Cavallo, the only openly gay top-flight male soccer player the sport, has told CNN that FIFA’s cisn to ban players om wearg “OneLove” armbands at the Qatar 2022 has ma him feel “exclud.” * gay football players 2022 *

The England ternatnal me out at the end of his reer and was to take his own life eight years later, Fashanu, Jt’s niece, who ns a charable foundatn his name, said that Daniels’s cisn would “e as a huge fort to the many footballers at all levels of the game still secretly livg as gay and who still feel unable to e out”. 10:48Download AudCopy the below to embed the WBUR d player on your seRumeWhen 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.

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 football players 2022 *

”Back 2019, queer former NFL player Ryan O’Callahan said there was at least one player on every NFL team who is gay or bisexual. 'FIFA have ma me feel exclud:' Sole gay top flight player hs out on Qatar armband ban. Josh Cavallo, the only openly gay top-flight male soccer player the sport, has told CNN that FIFA’s cisn to ban players om wearg “OneLove” armbands at the Qatar 2022 has ma him feel “exclud.

The Alai Uned midfielr and former Atralian youth ternatnal ma headl last year when he me out as gay. 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.

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

* gay football players 2022 *

Roy "Sugar Bear" Simmons, an offensive leman for the New York Giants and Washgton Redsks, beme the send NFL player ever to publicly reveal he was gay.

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.

GAY ATRALIAN FOOTBALLER JOSH CAVALLO SAYS WORLD CUP SHOULDN’T BE GOG TO QATAR, WHERE HOMOSEXUALY IS ILLEGAL

It has been almost a year sce Josh Cavallo announced he is gay, but even now he still stggl to prehend the far-reachg impact his announcement has had – pecially as he has begun to speak out on major issu, notably the Qatar World Cup. * gay football players 2022 *

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. He would later nfirm his sexualy on CNN and s down wh ESPN to discs the challeng of growg up gay Jamai and playg football while closeted. 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.

He would later move to San Francis and jo the Fog, a gay gby team, and pen a g-out blog post 2015. Wyatt Pertet, a special teams player and receiver for Capal Universy, will be a sophomore this season.

8 MALE FOOTBALL PLAYERS WHO DARED TO COME OUT AS GAY

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. "He wanted everyone to know he was "still the same Colton everybody met on TV" and is "proud to be gay. 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.

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

"Speakg to OutSports, he ntued: "Especially at an HBCU, young Black gay men need an outlet. There hasn't been an out gay football athlete at an HBCU. As the World Cup go on a untry where homosexualy is illegal, many global football fans are havg to reckon wh the sports' soccer remas one of the most popular sports around the world, very few players have been able to e out and enjoy a succsful reer afterwards.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY FOOTBALL PLAYERS 2022

The 39 current NFL players have all played wh a gay teammate - Outsports .

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