Are there any gay nfl players currently

Running back Dave Kopay, who signed with the San Francisco 49ers in. Search Search. Carl Nassib uttered it so nonchalantly — almost like a shrug. The NFL has existed for years, and in that time, there has never been a player on an active NFL roster who has publicly acknowledged his gayness. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Inclusion needs to be more than symbolic; rainbow patches and hosting Pride Nights will not produce the kind of meaningful shift in locker room culture necessary for queer players to feel like they can safely be open about who they are.

Here's all 14 of them, in order of when they played. This culture is crushing to the queer men who are trying to navigate it, often making them feel like they need to hide their true selves in order to play the sport they love. Football, perhaps more than any other U. Hiding this truth can have devastating consequences. NBC News Logo. Carl Nassib came out as gay in and became the first-ever active player in the NFL to do so.

IE 11 is not supported. After playing for the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Las Vegas Raiders from to. And football, perhaps more than any other U. This is where misogyny comes into play, manifesting in a culture of homophobia. By Frankie de la Cretaz. Carl Nassib was No. 16 and the first one to come out as gay while on an active roster.

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Have there been other gay NFL players? Yes, absolutely. But they have only come out as gay after they retired. By no means a complete list, below are a number of gay NFL players. Kopay played high school and college football before being picked up by San Francisco.

Louis Rams took him in the seventh round, but he never played in a game. With that simple statement, Nassib became the first openly gay active player in NFL history. InNFL free agent Ryan Russell came out as bisexual but has not been picked up by any team since doing so. This is a list of notable, openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, transgender, and queer -identifying athletes associated with American Football, namely the NFL.

Here's a list of players in college and pro football who have proved you can be gay or bi and still run the gauntlet. There have been 16 gay or bi players come out publicly in the NFL, which is in its th season. Running back Dave Kopay, who signed with the San Francisco 49ers in. Throughout the league's history, a number of former players have come out after hanging up their cleats.

Veteran pass rusher Carl Nassib, who in became the NFL's first openly gay player to play in a regular-season game, announced his retirement on Wednesday after seven seasons. Though there are many openly queer women in professional sports, the same cannot be said for men. Related Opinion. After playing for the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Las Vegas Raiders from to.

This is a list of notable, openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, transgender, and queer -identifying athletes associated with American Football, namely the NFL. Here's a list of players in college and pro football who have proved you can be gay or bi and still run the gauntlet. Please submit a letter to the editor. Carl Nassib came out as gay in and became the first-ever active player in the NFL to do so.

Frankie de la Cretaz is a freelance writer whose work focuses on the intersection of sports, gender and culture. Carl Nassib was No. 16 and the first one to come out as gay while on an active roster. There have been 16 gay or bi players come out publicly in the NFL, which is in its th season. Inhe became the first openly gay player in the Canadian Football League when he spent a season with the Montreal Alouettes.

Follow think. Share this —. And while someone coming out in might not feel like a big deal, with that simple statement, Nassib became the first openly gay active player in NFL history.