Carl Nassib became the first openly gay active NFL player in 2021. A few years later, his historic announcement is being immortalized in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
Nassib’s No. 94 Oakland Raiders jersey is being displayed at the museum in its “Entertainment Nation” display. While Nassib’s jersey was first put up May 21, the NFL tweeted about the honor Wednesday.
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The jersey is the one worn by Nassib during the team’s Week 1 game against the Baltimore Ravens in 2021. It was the first jersey worn by Nassib after he came out as gay.
Nassib initially revealed the Smithsonian news during an appearance on “The Pivot” podcast — hosted by former NFL player Ryan Clark — in May. During that interview, Nassib talked about his uncle, who served as an inspiration for Nassib to come out as gay.
Nassib spoke to the Washington Post about his jersey being displayed in the Smithsonian, saying it was “really important that gay stories get told and remembered.”
Nassib’s announcement was met with support around the league. The Raiders, Nassib’s former college coach and his former teammate Saquon Barkley all offered support for Nassib at the time.
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Nassib, a third-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2016 NFL Draft, played seven seasons as a defensive end in the NFL. After spending his first two seasons in Cleveland, Nassib joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two years before signing a three-year, $25 million deal with the Raiders. He spent two years with the team before returning to the Buccaneers in 2022.
Nassib registered 187 combined tackles and 25.5 sacks over his career.
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