"After coming out in 2019, I never got another tryout, call, or interest from an NFL team" - Former Buccaneers star alleges franchises boycotted him due to his sexuality 

Twelve months ago, former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Carl Nassib became the first active NFL player to come out as gay when he released a video on social media. Nassib was playing for the Las Vegas Raiders at the time, and he received universal support around the league.

Nassib now finds himself a free agent, and this has concerned another former Buccaneer, Ryan Russell. Russell himself became the first active NFL player to come out as bisexual in 2019.

Russell is concerned that Nassib may struggle to find a new team. He claims to have been shunned by the league after revealing his own sexuality.

Russell detailed his own experiences and his concerns for other LGBTQ athletes in an article written for The Guardian. He said:

"I was drafted in the fifth round in 2015 by the Dallas Cowboys, started several games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and had some terrific highlights in my time on the field. And after coming out in 2019, I never got another tryout, call, or interest from an NFL team. Despite reaching out several times, I haven’t spoken to my sports agent again to this day."

Russell discussed Michael Sam's case:

"After Michael Sam told the world he was gay, he was drafted in the seventh round in 2014, the lowest pick of any SEC defensive player of the year. He bounced around practice squads and in Canada, never making it onto a regular-season roster."

While also explaining the challenges of trying to succeed in the sport:

"Establishing yourself in the NFL is hard enough if you’re straight. As a former player, I know the sacrifices that you have to make in order to be a professional player but also the commitments you make to stay at the top of your game. When you’re LGBTQ+, the struggle is even harder. The rigorous journey of coming out requires immense effort on top of the challenges of being an elite athlete"

Are there any openly gay stars in American sports other than the NFL?

The NFL is no different from the majority of popular American sports when it comes to openly gay stars. In 2013, Jason Collins became the first NBA player to identify as gay when he came out in an interview with Sports Illustrated.

Collins, a twelve-year NBA veteran by then, would only go onto play one more season in the NBA with the Brooklyn Nets. He announced his retirement at the end of the 2014 season. Collins remains the only NBA player to identify as gay during his NBA career.

The NBA and NFL still appear to be ahead of other sports like baseball. In the entire 150 year history of Major League Baseball, only two players have ever identified as gay. Both waited until after retirement for fear of not being accepted.

If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Ryan Russell, The Guardian and H/T Sportskeeda.