Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib made history on Monday after coming out as the first openly gay active player in the NFL, a move hailed as a watershed moment for America’s most popular sport.
The 28-year-old five-year veteran said in a video posted on Instagram he hoped his example would boost visibility of other gay athletes.
“I just wanted to take a quick moment to say that I’m gay,” Nassib said in the video.
“I’ve been meaning to do this for a while now but finally feel comfortable getting it off my chest. I really have the best life, the best family, friends and job a guy can ask for."