Carl Nassib has announced his retirement from football, and the first openly gay player in NFL history will be remembered for his courage and inspiration to a younger generation of players.
In 2021 the former Penn State defensive end became the first openly gay player to take part in an NFL game in the Raiders opening day win over Ravens.
He strip-sacked Baltimore’s QB Lamar Jackson, which his team recovered, to go on to win the game 33-27.
His decision to come out was warmly greeted by players, management and fans alike.
Nassib had a storied College career, winning the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2015, as well as picking up the Lott Trophy, an award outlining excellence in strong play on the field and a strong character off the field.
The 30-year-old will now focus on Rayze, a social media app he developed to help people make a strong positive impact on communities.
“This is a bittersweet moment for me but after seven seasons and just over 100 NFL games I am officially retiring from football to focus on my company Rayze,” he wrote on social media.
“I can truly hang up my helmet for the last time knowing I gave it everything I had … It was always my dream to play in the NFL, even as a walk-on, and I really feel like the luckiest guy in the world,” he added.
He finished his second stint at the Buccaneers on a one-year veteran salary benefit contract of $1.04 million.
He also played for the LA Raiders, after being drafted in 2016 as pick number 65 by the Cleveland Browns.
The 2015 Lombardi Award winner finished with a record of 187 total tackles, 25.5 sacks and 19 pass deflections.
He was so much more than numbers, as he opened up the NFL to a brave new world.
