WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — A day after Raiders Linebacker Carl Nassib came out publicly, the NFL announced their own matching donation to the Trevor Project.
Nassib announced he was gay in a video posted on his Instagram along with a longer statement explaining he would donate $100,000 to the Trevor Project, an LGTBQ+ advocacy and support resource.
The NFL Tuesday announced it would match Nassib’s donation adding the league is committed to “year-long efforts around diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
“We proudly support the LGBTQ+ community and will continue to work alongside the Trevor Project and our other community partners to further enhance our collective work and commitment,” the NFL said in a statement released on Twitter.
In a statement to NewsNation an NFL spokesperson added, “We are encouraging others to support Carl by contributing to the Trevor Project and all it does for LGBTQ+ youth.”
With his announcement Monday, Nassib became the first active NFL player to come out as gay. More than a dozen NFL players have come out as gay after their careers were over.
Michael Sam, a former NFL draftee, came out as gay after his college football career at the University of Missouri. The Rams drafted him, but he never made the active roster and finished his career without playing in an NFL game.
Sam was the first publicly gay player drafted in the NFL.
Multiple sports teams have released statements supporting Nassib coming out. His current team, the Las Vegas Raiders, posted Nassib’s statement adding, “Proud of you, Carl.”
