Carl Nassib Says Taylor Swift And His Gay Uncle Helped Him Come Out
Carl Nassib made NFL history in June 2021 as the first active player to come out as gay. In a recent interview on The Pivot Podcast, he shared personal insights that led to this groundbreaking moment.
Who Is Carl Nassib?
Since retiring from professional football in September 2023, Nassib has spoken on panels worldwide, continued his LGBTQIA+ advocacy work, and focused on his company Rayze, an app connecting businesses and organisations needing funds and volunteers.
When asked about his decision to come out while still playing professionally, Nassib shared a touching family story.
“I knew I wanted to do it for like years before that,” Nassib explained. His uncle Bill, who was gay, was battling cancer and passed away in 2019. Nassib visited him on his deathbed.
“I came out to him,” Nassib recalled. “We were from a huge family – 44 first cousins – and he was the only gay person in the entire family.”
His uncle’s response proved pivotal: “This is the biggest weight off of my chest. I’m not the only one.”
Five months later, after signing “a great contract with the Raiders,” Nassib felt secure enough professionally to come out publicly.
When Did Carl Nassib Make His Announcement?
Despite being ready personally in late 2019, Nassib waited until June 2021 to share his truth.
“George Floyd got killed, and there was a lot of turmoil with the NFL, with social justice, and covid. I actually read the room in 2020. I was like, ‘This isn’t the time, Carl.'”
Nassib also wanted his announcement to spotlight The Trevor Project, raising $100,000 for the group, with the NFL matching his donation.
What Does Carl Nassib Think About Coming Out Now?
While Nassib has no regrets about coming out at 28, he acknowledges he might have done it sooner to support his uncle.
“I’ve been gifted so many rights and freedoms that the previous generation in my community didn’t have,” the NFL alum shared. “I can’t just sit on these and rake it in.”
DL Carl Nassib announces his retirement from the NFL after a 7-year career. He was the first openly gay active player in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/tdirCw2tYw
— NFL (@NFL) September 6, 2023
Is Carl Nassib in a Relationship?
In 2022, Nassib made his relationship with Søren Dahl public on Instagram. While he keeps most details of his personal life private, Nassib has occasionally shared glimpses of his relationship on social media. When asked about dating during his NFL career, Nassib has mentioned the challenges of maintaining privacy while living authentically.
“Dating while in the league wasn’t easy,” Nassib noted in his Pivot Podcast interview. “But living my truth has been worth every moment.”
Is Carl Nassib a Taylor Swift Fan?
In a lighter moment, Nassib addressed mentioning Taylor Swift in the 2018 documentary Hard Knocks, three years before coming out.
“First off, I’ve been a Taylor Swift fan way longer than all these other bandwagon fans,” he joked. “The closet door was made of glass. I was the biggest Taylor Swift fan my entire life.”
On a more serious note, Nassib admitted there “were probably some things that I would say to curate a look of, ‘Oh I was straight.'” His concern was practical: “I didn’t have a guaranteed contract. I was very worried about getting outed.”
Carl Nassib’s continued openness about his experiences offers a significant and relatable narrative, proving that authenticity can indeed be a powerful play.
FORMER #RAIDERS OLB CARL NASSIB TELLS A HILARIOUS STORY OF BEING GAY IN THE #NFL.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) May 7, 2025
CARL: “STOP WITH THESE GAY ASS BOOTLEGS”
Entire Browns o-line responds to him: “You can’t say that”
Nassib: “I was like the league is ready for this, we’ve got allies”
😭 pic.twitter.com/s3C9al4Fv7
