Indianapolis Colts owner and CEO Jim Irsay showed his support for Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib in a tweet on Wednesday.
On Monday, Nassib came out as the NFL’s first-ever active gay player when he made his announcement via Instagram.
Irsay tweeted his support, commending Nassib’s decision to come out, a decision that was met with heaps of praise and support on social media.
I commend Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib for his courage and world leadership👍💪🏈. Love,tolerance and open mindedness must lead the way in the 21st Century! #ChangingTheWorld!
— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) June 23, 2021
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also gave a statement quickly following Nassib’s announcement.
“Representation matters,” Goodell said in a statement. “We share his hope that someday soon statements like his will no longer be newsworthy as we march toward full equality for the LGBTQ+ community. We wish Carl the best of luck this coming season.”
Nassib also donated $100,000 to The Trevor Project, an organization that focuses on suicide prevention for the LGBTQ+ community.
Former Missouri and St. Louis Rams defensive end Michael Sam was the first-ever gay player drafted into the NFL in 2014 but was cut before the regular season started.
