Carl Nassib, the first active NFL player to come out publicly, may have a boyfriend!
The 28-year-old Las Vegas Raiders defensive end talked about his love life with his teammate Darren Waller and his co-host Donny Starkins on their Comeback Stories podcast on Friday, Oct. 1, which marked his first interview since he revealed on Instagram in June that he is gay.
"I just wanted to be someone's number one priority, and I couldn't have that," Nassib said in the interview. "So that was the one thing where I was like, 'Man, I really f--king want that.' But I got that now, so it's good."
He continued, "Oh, I met an awesome guy. He's the best."
Nassib did not name the person.
Also during the podcast, the NFL star talked about why he decided to come out publicly, a few years before he revealed his sexuality to his close family and friends.
"I didn't really do it to break barriers," he said. "I did it because I felt an obligation to the LGBTQ community, to bring representation and bring visibility to a very, very popular entertainment business, to a very, very popular industry that doesn't have a lot of representation."
He continued, "I felt a huge obligation to my community, to all the young kids out there who are struggling with their sexuality. If I could just help a few of them out, then I really could sleep better at night."
Nassib is an active supporter of the Trevor Project, a non-profit organization that focuses on suicide prevention among LGBTQ+ youth.
Nassib was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2016 draft and played for the team and later, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, before he signed with the Raiders before the start of the 2020 season. Money and timing also played a large part in his decision to come out publicly when he did.
"I wanted to make sure I was financially stable before I did it," the athlete said. "I didn't know if it would ruin my career. I didn't know if guys would be supportive or not. So I busted my f--king ass to really make it in this f--king league."