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Carl Nassib, Las Vegas Raiders defensive player, said that he had been hesitant to come out publicly as gay before he decided to do so.
"I thought about it every now and again. It was something I thought about. It was possible, Nassib stated on Comeback Stories with Darren Waller & Donny Starkins (20.08). "I wasn't sure how people would react. Before I made this decision, I wanted to be financially secure. It was a risk that would endanger my career. I wasn't sure if men would support me or not.
Nassib said that he didn’t know he was gay until four years ago. He was also more concerned about his NFL career and making a name for himself.
Nassib stated that he felt a sense of responsibility towards his community and decided to speak out, given the many people who have come before him to make society more inclusive.
He added that "When I decided it was hard to come out, it wasn't easy." (10:55). "Personally, it was not something I wanted to do. However, I felt a tremendous obligation to my community and to all the young people who struggle with sexuality. If I could just help a few, I would be able to sleep better at night.
Nassib, 28 years old, is currently in his second season with Raiders. He had a total of 2.5 sacks last year in 14 games. This season, he has eight tackles, 1.5sacks and two touchdowns.
He is the NFL's first active player to make it out.
