“I just wanted to take a quick moment to say that I’m gay.”With those words, Carl Nassib, a defensive end for the Las Vegas Raiders, forever changed the face of the National Football League.
While others came out when they were retired or unsigned, Nassib is the first gay player to do so while active in the league.
The occasion presents opportunities for revolutionary LGBTQ+ progress in America’s most popular pro sports league. To achieve this, however, the NFL, Raiders, and Nassib would do well to implement the team’s past winning strategy.Late owner Al Davis had one guiding rule for his Raiders: “Just win, baby.” In other words, he didn’t care what his players did off the field as long as they won where it counted.