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Carl Nassib, the NFL’s first openly gay active player, announced Wednesday he’s calling it a career.
Nassib, 30, played seven years in the NFL with the Browns, Buccanneers and Raiders and made history in 2021 when he came out as gay while playing as a defensive end for the Raiders.
“It was not an easy decision. It really, really wasn’t,” Nassib, who became a free agent after spending the 2022 season with Tampa Bay, told People about retiring.
“This would have been my 23rd football season. 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.”
Nassib plans to spend his retirement focused on the app he founded called Rayze, which connects people with nonprofit organizations looking for volunteers and donations.
The former defensive end said he started considering retirement once he realized he was spending “every night” at Tampa Bay’s facility working on Rayze.
“I feel like it’s my calling and it’s what I’m meant to do,” Nassib told People. “I’m really excited to move on to the next chapter of my life and to give Rayze everything that I have.”
Nassib was a third-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and has been outspoken about contributing to nonprofits.
When he came out as gay, Nassib announced he was donating $100,000 to The Trevor Project, an organization that supports LGBTQ youth across America.
“I’m a pretty private person so I hope you guys know that I’m not doing this for attention,” Nassib said in his initial announcement.
“I just think that representation and visibility are so important. I actually hope that one day, videos like this and the whole coming out process are not necessary, but until then I will do my best and my part to cultivate a culture that’s accepting and compassionate and I’m going to start by donating $100,000 to the Trevor Project. They’re an incredible organization, they’re the number one suicide-prevention service for LGBTQ youth in America.”
Nassib appeared in 99 games and started 38 contests throughout seven campaigns, compiling a total of 25.5 sacks.
He said he will continue to work with the NFL’s diversity, equity, and inclusion division during his retirement.
“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 said.
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