Veteran DL Nassib, league's 1st openly gay active player, retires after 7 seasons
Veteran defensive lineman Carl Nassib is retiring from the NFL after seven seasons, he announced on Thursday.
"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," Nassib said in a statement posted to Instagram. "It really feels like yesterday starting out as a walk-on at Penn State. Football has given me more than ever could have imagined. I can truly hand up my helmet for the last time knowing that I gave it everything I had.
"I loved the pursuit of perfection. I loved the small window where every player has to chase their dreams. It makes it all the more exciting if you get there. It was always my dream to play in the NFL, even as a walk-on, and I really feel like the luckiest guy on the planet."
Nassib announced that he is gay in June 2021 as a member of the Las Vegas Raiders, becoming the first active player to come out in the league's history.
"I think that I can provide a very rare and specific view of how life is for an out gay player, and I think that there are some amazing opportunities that I can also learn," Nassib told People Magazine's Natasha Dye.
Nassib plans to focus on an app he developed that connects people with nonprofit organizations looking for volunteers and donations. He also plans to work with the league on its diversity, equity and inclusions as well as philanthropic endeavours.
The 6-foot-7, 275-pound defensive lineman was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. The former Nittany Lions star also spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders and had two stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He racked up 23 tackles, six tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks in 2022 with Tampa Bay.
The 30-year-old pass-rusher hangs up his cleats having posted 187 tackles, 45 tackles for loss, and 25.5 sacks over the course of his career.