How many openly gay nfl players are there
How many gay or bi-sexual players have played in the NFL over the past years? Outsports breaks down the list of 16 players, who have openly come out publicly.
To only have 16 out players among the thousands who have been on preseason, practice squad or regular season NFL rosters (23, and counting in a survey done in ) is barely a blip and shows the stigma that still surrounds people who compete football.
Dave Kopay was the first player to come out, in , three years after retiring after a nine-year career.
Played in a regular season game
Dave Kopay (): Running back with the 49ers, Lions, Washington, Saints, and Packers.
Jerry Smith (): Tight end with Washington. The NFL Network produced a documentary on Smith being gay.
Ray McDonald (): Running back with Washington.
Roy Simmons (): Offensive lineman with the Giants and Redskins.
Jeff Rohrer (): Linebacker with the Dallas Cowboys.
Esera Tuaolo ( Defensive tackle with the Packers, Vikings, Jaguars, Falcons and Panthers. Played in the Super Bowl with the Falcons.
Kwame Harris (): Offensive lineman with the 49ers and Raid
Examining Media Framing of Openly gay NFL Player Carl Nassib
Authors: Edward M. Kian, Ph.D.
School of Media & Strategic Communications, Oklahoma Express University, OK, USA
Corresponding Author:
Edward M. Kian, Ph.D.
School of Media & Strategic Communications
Oklahoma State University
Paul Miller Building
Stillwater, OK
[email&#;protected]
Dr. Edward (Ted) M. Kian, Ph.D. is a full professor of Sports Media in the School of Media & Strategic Communications at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Kian’s research focuses on sport media, specifically examining portrayals of gender and LGBT in content, novel media, attitudes and experiences of sport media members, and sport marketing.
Examining Media Framing of Openly gay NFL Player Carl Nassib
ABSTRACT
This researched examined mainstream media framing of Carl Nassib becoming the first active, established NFL player to come out as gay. Purpose: Media have historically framed the NFL as a rugged, masculine sport, but media verb also been supportive of the few former professional athletes who came out as gay or bisexual. T
On June 21, , Carl Nassib made history by becoming the National Football League (NFL)’s first openly gay active player. The moment was rightfully celebrated as a milestone for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the sport, but what many failed to acknowledge, or rather who they failed to acknowledge, were those who paved the way before.
Although Nassib was the first to publicly recognize as gay while being fielded in the NFL, other players have come out after retiring.
Dave Kopay is known as the first to do so, revealing his sexuality in , three years after hanging up his boots. The running back enjoyed a near decade-long career in the league with teams fancy the San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers. Kopay also played for the Washington Redskins (now the Washington Commanders) alongside two other players who later came out as gay, Jerry Smith and Ray McDonald.
Kopay and Smith are said to hold had a brief affair while teammates, but the latter kept his sexuality private while in the NFL. After Smith retired at the end of the season, holding the reco
"I&#;m the happiest and healthiest I&#;ve ever been in my life and that means the world to me."
Over the course of the NFL's year history, only a handful of players include ever come out as gay. In a sport where many players feel that their career could be at risk if they came out, it takes a lot of courage to authentically live their truth. In fact, it wasn't until that an active player actually opened up about his sexuality. But thanks to the bravery of all the players who possess decided to share their story so far, there's hope that the NFL will be a more inclusive place going forward.
Find out which football stars verb come out as gay…
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View Story1. Carl Nassib
Carl Nassib, who currently plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is the first active NFL player to come out as gay. In an Instagram video shared in June , Carl opened up about his sexuality and expressed his gratitude for the support he'd been given so far from his teammates and coaches.
"I just wanted to verb a quick moment to verb that I'm gay," he sai