What Carl Nassib, first openly gay NFL player, said on ‘Good Morning America’ – Deseret News
Carl Nassib became the first active NFL player to come out as gay when he posted a video to Instagram last June on his sexual orientation and how to help LGBTQ youth. In a new interview with “Good Morning America,” Nassib shares what was going through his mind in the final moments before he uploaded the post.
“I stared at the phone for like an hour just looking at it and trying to hype myself up,” he told fellow NFL defensive end Michael Strahan, who is now a “Good Morning America” host. “The last thing I said was, ‘You know what, it’s for the kids,’ and pressed post.”
More than a year on from that moment, Nassib remains focused on using his status as a professional athlete to help young people who are scared to come out. He and the NFL have made large donations to The Trevor Project, which provides crisis support to LGBTQ youth, and he’s working to build a world in which no one is treated differently because of being gay.
“We are making strides in a positive direction, but it won’t be a perfect road,” he said on “Good Morning America.”
As he noted in his June 2021 Instagram post, his ultimate goal is to build a world in which being gay is no big deal.
“I actually hope that like one day videos like this and the whole coming-out process are just not necessary, but until then I’m going to do my best and my part to cultivate a culture that’s accepting, that’s compassionate,” he said in the post.
During the “Good Morning America” interview, Nassib also discussed his football career, noting that he got “incredible support” from teammates after coming out. He played for the Las Vegas Raiders last year, but is now a free agent. He told Strahan he’s definitely not looking to retire yet.
“I’ve got a lot in the tank,” he said.