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GayCityNews.com | MARCH 24 - APRIL 7, 2022
BY MATT TRACY
The Las Vegas Raiders have
released out gay defensive
end Carl Nassib nearly one
year after he became the
fi rst active player to come out in the
NFL.
Nassib, now a free agent, was let go
on March 16 in a cost-cutting move to
save the Raiders $8 million, according
to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Nassib’s
release came during a busy day of
moves for Las Vegas.
Nassib spent two years with the
Raiders after completing stints with
the Browns and Buccaneers. Last
June, just weeks before starting training
camp, he came out in an Instagram
video and declared he would donate
$100,000 to the Trevor Project.
“What’s up, people, I’m Carl Nassib,
I’m at my house here in Westchester,
Pennsylvania,” Nassib said in the video
last year. “I just wanted to take a quick
moment to say that I’m gay. I’ve been
meaning to do this for awhile now, but
I fi nally feel comfortable enough to get
it off my chest. I really have the best
life, I got the best family, friends, and
job a guy could ask for. I’m a pretty private
person, so I hope you guys know
I’m not doing this for attention.”
Nassib went on to play in 13 regular
season games last year and tallied 21
tackles to go along with 1.5 sacks. He
had a career-high 6.5 sacks with the
Buccaneers in 2018.
Seven years before Nassib came
out, Michael Sam became the fi rst
out player to be selected in the NFL
draft. He was drafted in the seventh
round in 2014 and played in the 2014
pre-season, but never made it to the
regular season. He briefl y joined Dallas’
practice squad and dabbled in the
Canadian Football League for a short
period.
Sam’s interrupted career set the
stage for Nassib, who made an immediate
impact in his fi rst regular season
game since coming out when he set
up the Raiders’ game-winning score
against the Ravens on September 13.
Nassib sacked quarterback Lamar
Jackson and forced a fumble, which
the Raiders recovered.
Nassib is widely expected to sign
with another NFL team during the offseason.
USA TODAY SPORTS/SCOTT GALVIN
Carl Nassib looks on during a game against the Cleveland Browns on December 20.
SPORTS
Raiders Release Carl Nassib
First out gay active NFL player enters free agency after two-year stint in Las Vegas
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