First out and active gay NFL player Carl Nassib announces retirement

Carl Nassib, the first active NFL player to come out as gay in the history of the 103-year-old league, is retiring.

The 30-year-old made the announcement Wednesday on Instagram.

Related:

Out NFL player Carl Nassib signs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Carl Nassib came out in an Instagram video in June 2021, making him the first active NFL player to come out as gay.

“Football has given me more than I ever could have imagined,” Nassib posted. “I can truly hang up my helmet for the last time knowing I gave it everything I had.”

Stay connected to your community

Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter.

Daily

Weekly

Good News

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Carl Nassib (@carlnassib)

Nassib came out as gay in June 2021 while playing with the Las Vegas Raiders, and says he’ll continue working with the National Football League on “diversity, equity, and inclusion” and the league’s philanthropies.

“I think that I can provide a very rare and specific view of how life is for an out gay player, and I think that there are some amazing opportunities that I can also learn,” Nassib told People.

“Maintaining that relationship shows that the NFL is continuing to support me. They’ve supported me so much over the last two years, and I really couldn’t have done it without that support,” he says.

Nassib says he hopes his new relationship with the league “continues to show people that you can be yourself and compete at the highest level.”

Nassib coming out as gay was a watershed moment for the NFL, which won plaudits for their unconditional support.

A video message from the league the week following Nassib’s announcement declared, “Football is gay.”

Last year, Nassib went public with his relationship with Danish Olympic swimmer Soren Dahl.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Carl Nassib (@carlnassib)

The 6’7″, 275 lb linebacker came to the NFL after a stellar college career at Penn State. He was voted All-American in 2015 and earned the Lombardi Award as best college football lineman or linebacker. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns the following year.

Nassib played his last season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers alongside Tom Brady, and retired as a free agent.

Following his exit from the gridiron, Nassib says he’ll focus on his fundraising app Rayze, which matches donors with charitable causes. The company just entered into a partnership with non-profit heavyweight Volunteer Match.

“Staying at the Bucs facility until 9 p.m. every night working on Rayze” was an indication his priorities were changing, Nassib says.

“I feel like it’s my calling and it’s what I’m meant to do,” he says of the app. “I’m really excited to move on to the next chapter of my life and to give Rayze everything that I have.”

“This would have been my 23rd football season,” Nassib told People. “I’ve been playing football since I was eight years old, and I’m really excited to move on to the next chapter of my life.”