<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12222890" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="carl-nassib" source="Orion">Carl Nassib</keyword>, the <keyword id="11897660" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nfl" source="Orion">NFL</keyword>'s first openly gay player, says he feared coming out would ruin his career.</li><li>The Las Vegas Raiders defensive end <a href="https://www.insider.com/first-gay-nfl-player-carl-nassib-raiders-coming-out-instagram-2021-6">came out as gay in a heartfelt social media post in June.</a></li><li>"I didn't know if guys would be supportive or not," he told podcast "Comeback Stories."</li></ul>Carl Nassib, the NFL's first ever openly gay player, says he feared coming out would ruin his career.The Las Vegas Raiders defensive end <a href="https://www.insider.com/first-gay-nfl-player-carl-nassib-raiders-coming-out-instagram-2021-6">came out as gay in a heartfelt social media post in June.</a>The 28-year-old described himself as a "pretty private person," but said he decided to share his sexuality because "representation and visibility are so important."His announcement was met with support from all over the NFL, including from the Raiders, which shared screenshots of Nassib's post on Twitter with the caption: "Proud of you, Carl."<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1407103250134827010">June 21, 2021</a></blockquote>Speaking on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsFCSJz0T00">teammate Darren Waller's podcast "Comeback Stories" on Thursday,</a> Nassib admitted he was fearful the response would not have been so kind."I thought about it every once in a while," he said. "Thought about how I wanted to do it. When I could do it."I didn't know how people would react. I wanted to make sure I was financially stable before I did it. I didn't know if it would ruin my career. I didn't know if guys would be supportive or not."Nassib went on to explain that he knew he was gay around four years ago, but that he was reluctant to come out while trying to establish himself in the NFL.In the end, he decided to do so because he felt it was the right thing to do for the broader the LGBTQ community."When I decided to come out, it was not easy," he said. "Personally, for my life, I didn't want to do it. But I felt a huge obligation to my community, to all the young kids out there who are struggling with their sexuality. If I could help just a few of them out, then I could sleep better at night.""I didn't do it to break barriers," he added."I did it because I felt an obligation to the LGBTQ community to bring representation and visibility to a very, very popular entertainment business and industry that doesn't have a lot of representation."

The NFL's first openly gay player feared coming out would ruin his career

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="2267329" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coming-out">Coming out</keyword> is hard, yet millions and millions of ordinary people have done it.</li><li>Pro <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword> is one of the last bastions of the closet, and only gay players can fix that.</li><li>By coming out, Raiders DE <keyword id="11502005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="carl-nassib">Carl Nassib</keyword> paves the way for other gay pro athletes to come out.</li><li>This is an <keyword id="6356002" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="opinion">opinion</keyword> column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author.</li></ul>Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib is gay, and <a href="https://www.insider.com/first-gay-nfl-player-carl-nassib-raiders-coming-out-instagram-2021-6">his announcement of that fact</a> makes him the first openly gay person on an active <keyword id="103436" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="NFL">NFL</keyword> team roster.This is great. I'm happy for him that he has off his chest something he says he's struggled for 15 years about how to say. And I'm thrilled for gay players in the NFL and on college teams - or who aspire to play in the NFL or on college teams - who may be wondering what will happen if they come out.Nassib, who is in the middle of <a href="https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2020/3/17/21184456/raiders-defensive-end-carl-nassib-free-agent">a three-year, $25 million contract</a>, sends a strong message by coming out: You can be gay and play at the highest levels of this sport.Now it's time for others to follow his lead and come out, too.<h2>The closet is bad</h2>I understand that not every gay man is in a position to disclose his sexuality. Some people have good reason to fear they will be rejected by people they depend on emotionally or financially if they come out. Some have good reason to fear violence. And even when the risks are not so grave, coming out can still be hard. One of the injustices of homophobia is it can give people good reasons to hide parts of themselves.At the same time, coming out is something that millions and millions of people have done, en masse, even in times when our society and its institutions were much less accepting than they are now. Every day, people come out at greater personal risk and with fewer resources than are available to a professional athlete who considers whether to come out.So while I have compassion for people who find it hard to come out, I worry that fixating on the "difficulty" or "bravery" associated with coming out can actually reinforce the appeal of the closet, by suggesting that a person must be extraordinary to manage coming out. In fact, ordinary people come out all the time. For some, it isn't even that hard. But more importantly, it can be very rewarding, even for those who find it terrifying. How often do you hear people say they wish they had stayed in the closet?And the closet isn't just soul-crushing to the people who feel they must hide in it. It also sends a damaging message to others. When you hide your sexual orientation, you reinforce the idea that it is shameful to be gay, and that there are good reasons to hide it. Staying in the closet produces a negative externality by validating homophobia.Which, again, is not to say that nobody ever has a valid reason to do stay in the closet. But these are factors to consider: Do I have an opportunity to help people with less power than me by coming out? Is my silence making harder for them to speak their truth? And how bad will it really be if I just tell my truth?It's great that Nassib reached the conclusion that this was time to come out - I expect he will feel happier, and he's done a true service by making it easier for other players to make the jump after him. Now they should find their way to doing so.

Coming out is good, and more gay athletes should do it

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib came out as gay on Monday. </li><li>Nassib became the <keyword id="103436" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="NFL">NFL</keyword>'s first openly gay active player. </li><li>One day later, Nassib owned the top-selling NFL jersey spot on digital <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword> retailer Fanatics.</li></ul><keyword id="9108302" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="las-vegas-raiders">Las Vegas Raiders</keyword> defensive end <a href="https://www.insider.com/first-gay-nfl-player-carl-nassib-raiders-coming-out-instagram-2021-6">Carl Nassib</a> saw a surge in popularity after coming out as the NFL's first openly gay player. His new transcendent fame has even pushed his jersey to the top of the charts league's retail charts. Nassib has the best-selling jersey on digital sports retailer Fanatics, dating back to <a href="https://www.insider.com/first-gay-nfl-player-carl-nassib-raiders-coming-out-instagram-2021-6">his announcement</a> on Monday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1407426608303161354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2021</a></blockquote>Nassib's surging jersey sales are the latest examples of the overwhelming support he's received from the NFL community. Several high-profile players across the league have <a href="https://www.insider.com/roger-goodell-representation-matters-carl-nassib-2021-6">publicly expressed their support</a> for Nassib and his decision to come out, including New York Giants running back <a href="https://twitter.com/saquon/status/1407100169515003905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1407100169515003905%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnfl%2F2021%2F06%2F22%2Fcarl-nassib-raiders-jersey-tops-fanatics-sales-listlist">Saquon Barkley</a>, Arizona Cardinals defensive end <a href="https://twitter.com/saquon/status/1407100169515003905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1407100169515003905%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnfl%2F2021%2F06%2F22%2Fcarl-nassib-raiders-jersey-tops-fanatics-sales-listlist">JJ Watt</a>, and former New England Patriots wide receiver <a href="https://twitter.com/Edelman11/status/1407111931136204803?s=20">Julian Edelman</a>. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell even made a public statement praising Nassib and said the league would <a href="https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/06/22/nfl-matches-carl-nassibs-100k-donation-to-the-trevor-project/">match his donation</a> of $100,000 to The Trevor Project, a leading LGBTQ+ charity aimed at combatting the high rates of suicide among queer kids and young adults."The NFL family is proud of Carl for courageously sharing his truth today," Goodell <a href="https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/06/21/roger-goodell-nfl-is-proud-of-carl-nassib-for-courageously-sharing-his-truth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said in a statement</a>. "Representation matters. We share his hope that someday soon statements like his will no longer be newsworthy as we march toward full equality for the LGBTQ+ community. We wish Carl the best of luck this coming season."Check out Nassib's coming out Instagram post - and the outpouring of support from across the sports world in the comments - below:<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQZXu_8nyy_" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Carl Nassib (@carlnassib)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></div></blockquote>

The NFL's first openly gay player has the league's highest-selling jersey just one day after coming out

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Raiders defensive lineman Carl Nassib became the first active <keyword id="103436" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="NFL">NFL</keyword> player to come out as gay.</li><li>Nassib received support from across the NFL world for his decision to come out.</li><li>"The NFL family is proud of Carl for courageously sharing his truth today," said <keyword id="1489282" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Roger-Goodell">Roger Goodell</keyword>.</li></ul>NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell offered his support to Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib, who made history on Monday when he became <a href="https://www.insider.com/first-gay-nfl-player-carl-nassib-raiders-coming-out-instagram-2021-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the first active NFL player to come out as gay</a>."The NFL family is proud of Carl for courageously sharing his truth today," Goodell <a href="https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/06/21/roger-goodell-nfl-is-proud-of-carl-nassib-for-courageously-sharing-his-truth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said in a statement</a>. "Representation matters. We share his hope that someday soon statements like his will no longer be newsworthy as we march toward full equality for the LGBTQ+ community. We wish Carl the best of luck this coming season."Nassib came out in a video he shared to Instagram, in which he also said he would be donating $100,000 to The Trevor Project, a leading LGBTQ+ charity aimed at combatting the high rates of suicide among queer kids and young adults."I just want to take a quick moment to say that I'm gay," Nassib said.. "I've been meaning to do this for a while now, but I finally feel comfortable enough to get it off my chest. I really have the best life. I've 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, but I think representation matters."<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQZXu_8nyy_" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Carl Nassib (@carlnassib)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></div></blockquote>In addition to Goodell's statement, other players, coaches, and fans across the country sent out their messages of thanks and congratulations to Nassib.James Franklin, who coached Nassib at Penn State, as well as Saquon Barkley, who was Nassib's teammate with the Nittany Lions, both said they were proud of his statement.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-James Franklin (@coachjfranklin) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1407149607478509572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Saquon Barkley (@saquon) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1407100169515003905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2021</a></blockquote>Several other teams, players, and former players around the league also came out in support of Nassib.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-JJ Watt (@JJWatt) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1407139291893993475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Julian Edelman (@Edelman11) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1407111931136204803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1407104766258421764?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-DeMaurice Smith (@demauricesmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1407126728175149062?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1407127495099355173?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2021</a></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Los Angeles Chargers (@Chargers) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1407124251014926346?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2021</a></blockquote>Like Goodell said, someday, statements like Nassib's will no longer be newsworthy, but until then, it's important for the league to support its players who are out.Nassib is the first active NFL player to come out as gay, but he will not be the last.

Commissioner Roger Goodell quickly set the tone for reactions to the NFL's first openly gay player: 'Representation matters'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="103436" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="NFL">NFL</keyword> has its first <keyword id="6464875" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gay">gay</keyword> player.</li><li>Carl Nassib came out on Instagram Monday because "representation and visibility are so important."</li><li>The <keyword id="9108302" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="las-vegas-raiders">Las Vegas Raiders</keyword> defensive end added that he made a $100K donation to a leading LGBTQ+ charity.</li></ul>For the first time, an active NFL player publicly identifies as gay.Carl Nassib - a defensive end for the Las Vegas Raiders - came out as gay with a heartfelt post on his personal Instagram account Monday evening. The 28-year-old described himself as a "pretty private person" but decided to share his sexuality openly because "representation and visibility are so important."<div type="image" title="Carl Nassib." height="1878" width="2500" msid="83733980" hostid="261"></div>"I actually hope that one day, videos like this and the whole <keyword id="2267329" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coming-out">coming out</keyword> process are not necessary," Nassib said in his video post. "But until then, I will do my best and my part to cultivate a culture that's accepting and compassionate."To start, Nassib said, he will make a $100,000 donation to The Trevor Project, a leading LGBTQ+ charity aimed at combatting the high rates of suicide among queer kids and young adults."They're an incredible organization," Nassib said. "They're the number one suicide-prevention service for <keyword id="729067" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="LGBTQ">LGBTQ</keyword> youth in America."<div type="image" title="Carl Nassib" height="1665" width="2221" msid="83733983" hostid="261"></div>Nassib - a West Chester, Pennsylvania native and a former Penn State walk-on - was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent two seasons in Cleveland before joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019.In March 2020, Nassib <a href="https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2020/3/17/21184456/raiders-defensive-end-carl-nassib-free-agent">signed a three-year, $25 million contract</a> with the Raiders. In 14 appearances and five starts for Las Vegas last season, the 6-foot-7, 275-pounder accrued 2.5 sacks, 28 tackles, nine quarterback hits, and an interception.<div type="image" title="Carl Nassib." height="1874" width="2499" msid="83733987" hostid="261"></div>It appears as though the Raiders organization is among the many showing the defensive end public support following his announcement Monday evening. Las Vegas' official Instagram account commented three hearts on the post.Shortly thereafter, the franchise shared screenshots of Nassib's Instagram post on Twitter with the caption "Proud of you, Carl ."<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1407103250134827010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2021</a></blockquote>Check out Nassib's coming out Instagram post - and the outpouring of support from across the <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword> world in the comments - below:<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQZXu_8nyy_" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Carl Nassib (@carlnassib)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></div></blockquote>

The NFL's first openly gay player just came out of the closet with a $100K donation to an LGBTQ+ charity

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12095321" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jon-gruden" source="Orion">Jon Gruden</keyword> sent a host of homophobic emails between 2011-2018, according to The New York Times.</li><li>In one email, Gruden called <keyword id="11897660" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nfl" source="Orion">NFL</keyword> commissioner Roger Goodell a "pussy" for drafting gay players.</li></ul>Now-former Las Vegas <keyword id="12293015" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="raiders" source="Orion">Raiders</keyword> coach Jon Gruden called National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell a "pussy" and mocked gay then-NFL player Michael Sam in newly-reviewed emails, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/11/sports/football/what-did-jon-gruden-say.html">according to The New York Times.</a>Following The Times report, <a href="https://www.insider.com/jon-gruden-resigns-emails-racist-homophobic-report-2021-10">Gruden resigned</a>. Gruden issued <a href="https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1447742031053443077">an apology statement</a> on Monday night saying he, "never meant to hurt anyone."<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1447742031053443077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote>Gruden has <a href="https://www.insider.com/jon-gruden-racist-email-prompts-nfl-investigation-wsj-report-2021-10">been under investigation</a> by the NFL after a racist email he sent in 2011 resurfaced, where he used racist stereotypes about Black people while addressing NFL Players' Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith, a Black man.According to The Times, the NFL is reviewing 650,000 emails sent and received by Gruden between 2011 and 2018. Many of the emails were sent to Bruce Allen, the former president of the Washington Football Team and Gruden's close friend.While Gruden was working as an analyst for ESPN's "Monday Night Football," Gruden reportedly emailed Allen and called Roger Goodell a homophobic <keyword id="12090558" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="slur" source="Orion">slur</keyword> and a "clueless anti football pussy." The discriminatory outburst revolved around Michael Sam, the first openly gay player to be drafted by the NFL. Sam retired in 2015.In the emails, Gruden rallied against the league's choice to draft "queers."Carl Nassib, the NFL's first active openly gay NFL player, had played under Gruden since 2018. In June 2021, when Nassib came out publicly, Gruden <a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/jon-gruden-praises-carl-nassib-what-makes-a-man-different-is-what-makes-him-grea">embraced the move</a> and said, "what makes a man different is what makes him great."Insider reached out to the NFL, the Raiders office, and Jon Gruden for comment.

Now-former Raiders coach Jon Gruden called NFL commissioner Roger Goodell a 'pussy,' mocked a gay NFL player in emails, New York Times reports

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Jake Daniels, 17, came out as gay on Monday.</li><li>The Blackpool FC forward is now the only openly gay, active professional <keyword id="11897666" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="soccer" source="Orion">soccer</keyword> player in the UK.</li></ul>Jake Daniels, a forward for England's Blackpool Football Club, came out as gay on Monday, becoming the UK's only active professional soccer player and first to come out in 30 years."This season has been a fantastic one for me on the pitch ... But off the pitch I've been hiding the real me and who I really am," the 17-year-old said in a <a href="https://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/news/2022/may/16/a-message-from-jake-daniels/">Monday statement released by his team</a>. "I've known my whole life that I'm gay, and I now feel that I'm ready to come out and be myself.""It's a step into the unknown being one of the first footballers in this country to reveal my sexuality, but I've been inspired by Josh Cavallo, Matt Morton and athletes from other <keyword id="11893855" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports" source="Orion">sports</keyword>, like Tom Daley, to have the courage and determination to drive change," he said.Cavallo is an active Australian soccer player who came out in 2021, and Morton, a regional English soccer player, came out in 2020. Daley, a diver who has represented the UK in several Olympics games, came out in 2013.Blackpool FC plays in the English Football League Championship, the second tier of the country's football league system after the Premier League.<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/itHh580JdiA" frameborder="0"></iframe>When asked by Sky News whether he had felt the need to hide his sexuality while playing soccer professionally, Daniels said he thought that "because there was no one out that I do need to hide it and wait until I retired to maybe come out.""But I just knew that that's such a long time of lying and not being able to have what I want," he added.Daniels is also the first active professional English soccer player to come out in 30 years. Justin Fashanu, who previously played for Manchester City and West Ham United, came out in 1990. Fashanu died in 1998 aged 37.Last year, the defensive end Carl Nassib came out as gay, becoming the first <a href="https://www.insider.com/professional-athletes-who-are-lgbtq">openly gay man to actively play</a> in the NFL.

17-year-old soccer player comes out, becoming the UK's only openly gay professional footballer

Good morning and welcome to your weekday morning roundup of the top stories you need to know.For more daily and weekly briefings, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter">sign up for our newsletters here</a>.What's going on today: <ul><li>The NFL's first openly gay player just came out of the closet. <a href="https://www.insider.com/first-gay-nfl-player-carl-nassib-raiders-coming-out-instagram-2021-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib came out as gay on his Instagram account because "representation and visibility are so important."</a> Nassib commemorated his coming out by making a $100K donation to an LGBTQ+ charity. </li><li>Yang's messy comments about the mentally ill. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/andrew-yang-continues-to-blame-mentally-ill-people-nycs-problems-2021-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NYC mayoral candidate Andrew Yang doubles down on comments blaming mentally ill people for New York City's problems</a>. Yang faced backlash last week over comments he made on mentally ill and homeless people during the NYC mayoral debate.</li><li>Now that's a habit. <a href="https://www.insider.com/police-arrested-california-man-who-stole-42000-pounds-of-pistachios-2021-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Police arrested a man in California who stole 42,000 pounds of pistachios</a>. Between 2014 and 2017, nut heists resulted in the loss of more than $7.6 million, prompting companies to adopt policies to better track shipments.</li><li>Toxic trash destroys tourism site. <a href="https://www.insider.com/600-ft-garbage-belt-china-overwhelms-herders-clean-up-2021-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A 600-foot 'garbage belt' has taken over a Chinese UNESCO world heritage site and is overwhelming local herders tasked with cleaning it up.</a> Years of trash building up in the tourist-filled region has littered the region with swathes of plastic bags, paint buckets, cans, and even dead sheep and yaks.</li><li>Esports, but make it fashion. <a href="https://www.insider.com/ralph-lauren-esports-fashion-campaign-2021-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ralph Lauren is trying to make esports players fashion icons in a new campaign featuring Martin 'Rekkles' Larsson.</a> A new ad released by the company features League of Legends star player Larsson on horseback. </li><li>That's all for now. See you tomorrow. </li></ul>

You Searched For "carl nassib" and got 9 results

The NFL's first openly gay player feared coming out would ruin his career

Barnaby Lane

Coming out is good, and more gay athletes should do it

Josh Barro

The NFL's first openly gay player has the league's highest-selling jersey just one day after coming out

Jackson Thompson

Commissioner Roger Goodell quickly set the tone for reactions to the NFL's first openly gay player: 'Representation matters'

Tyler Lauletta

The NFL's first openly gay player just came out of the closet with a $100K donation to an LGBTQ+ charity

Meredith Cash

Now-former Raiders coach Jon Gruden called NFL commissioner Roger Goodell a 'pussy,' mocked a gay NFL player in emails, New York Times reports

Azmi Haroun

17-year-old soccer player comes out, becoming the UK's only openly gay professional footballer

Alexandra Ma

Top Stories this AM: The NFL's first openly gay player; Yang's mental health gaffe; to catch a pistachio thief

INSIDER

Philadelphia Democrat Brian Sims, whose anti-GOP speech went viral, is not sorry about all that

Charles Davis