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Sports

Is Carl Nassib Retiring From Football?

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Here's why fans fear he won't be on the field this season.

Bernardo Sim

Editor

Bernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out. He's also a staff contributor to The Advocate, PRIDE, and other equalpride publications. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida.

You can follow Bernardo Sim on Instagram. Otherwise, you can find him on Bluesky, Threads, X/Twitter, and TikTok.

Bernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out. He's also a staff contributor to The Advocate, PRIDE, and other equalpride publications. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida.

You can follow Bernardo Sim on Instagram. Otherwise, you can find him on Bluesky, Threads, X/Twitter, and TikTok.

Read Full Bio

Bernardo Sim

simbernardo

August 14 2023 10:33 AM EST

August 19 2023 10:49 AM EST

Carl Nassib made history as the first active NFL player to come out when he shared that he is gay in June 2021. But his time in the professional football league may now be coming to an end — or at least that's what fans fear. Here's why.

The National Football League (NFL) preseason has started for all 32 teams, but Nassib is one of many players who remains a free agent (via Outsports). The out gay athlete is currently not signed to any team.

In the meantime, Nassib has been dedicating a lot of his time to running his charity-based tech company, Rayze. He recently also joined United Way of Chester County as a board member.

At 30 years of age, Nassib is also prioritizing his personal life and can be seen on social media traveling all over Europe with his boyfriend Søren Dahl. Though there’s still time for Nassib to get signed by a team for this upcoming NFL season, there is also the possibility that he might be retiring from his sports career in 2023.

See on Instagram

Nassib publicly came out as gay in June 2021 via an Instagram post, becoming the first-ever active player in the NFL to do so. While other athletes have come out in subsequent years, Nassib’s story still stands out given that he didn’t come out after retiring from sports.

Following his coming-out statement, Nassib has actively supported LGBTQ+ rights and organizations, making that a clear priority in his professional life. He has also been advocating for the NFL to be a more inclusive organization for LGBTQ+ individuals.

While many gay sports fans would be disappointed by a potential retirement from Nassib at this point in time, it is ultimately up to him to make the best decision for himself. Nassib has said in past interviews that playing in the NFL requires him to follow strict workout and diet regimens, so it’s possible that he’s just ready to move on from this phase in his life.

While fans would miss him — and everything he represents — on the football field, one thing is certain: We will be cheering him on regardless of what comes next.