Carl Nassib is living his truth and is an open book these days.
Nassib became the first openly gay active NFL player a few years ago. In his announcement, Nassib emphasized the importance of representation and visibility. He also said he will donate $100,000 to The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organization for LGBTQA+ youth.
He hasn’t played in a regular-season game since the 2022 season, but he is still making headlines.
Nassib recently shared a few lighthearted moments with Channing Crowder, Fred Taylor, and Ryan Clark on the Pivot Podcast.
Carl Nassib talked about a moment in 2020, one year before he came out as gay, when Baker Mayfield kept running bootleg plays.
After running three bootleg plays in a row, Nassib yelled out, “Stop the gay a– bootlegs.”
Nassib said the entire Browns offensive line turned to him, saying, “You can’t say that.”
That was the moment he knew the NFL was ready for his news.
Carl Nassib also spoke at a time when a Raiders rookie asked him how his “Gaycation” was.
“The guy who’s about to come out, saying the word Gay, getting shut down…oh yea the league’s ready for this” Carl Nassib
Carl shares a few lighthearted moments with @OfficialCrowder @Realrclark25 @FredTaylorMade that he encountered in the NFL from funny stories to locker room… pic.twitter.com/8iJ6NxTaNm
— Pivot Podcast (@thepivot) May 6, 2025
“HEY CARL, HOW WAS YOUR GAYCATION?”
– #RAIDERS ROOKIE TO CARL NASSIB IMMEDIATELY AFTER HE OPENLY CAME OUT AS GAY pic.twitter.com/zoscGQwxhc
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) May 7, 2025
Raiders Once Granted Carl Nassib A Day Off After Terrible Emails Released From Jon Gruden
In emails detailed by The New York Times, Raiders Coach Jon Gruden casually used misogynistic and homophobic language to disparage people.
2021 was a hectic year for Gruden, who would ultimately lose his head coaching job.
Gruden sent emails to Bruce Allen, then the president of the Washington Football Team, and others during a seven-year period that began in 2011. The Times reported that Gruden used an anti-gay slur in several instances to insult NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib came out as gay in June 2021.
In response to the emails, the Las Vegas Raiders granted Carl Nassib a day off.
“(Nassib) and I spoke yesterday a couple times, spoke again today, we’re gonna meet later this afternoon,” Raiders general manager Mike Mayock told reporters at the time.
“He requested a personal day today. He just said he’s got a lot to process, there’s a lot that’s been going on the last few days, and of course, we support that request.”