It was exactly a year ago on a quiet Monday afternoon in the NFL when an unassuming Las Vegas Raiders’ backup defensive end made league history.
In a short, simple Instagram post, Carl Nassib announced he was gay, becoming the first active player in NFL history to be publicly out.
It instantly became world-wide news and Nassib’s story transcended sports. His jersey quickly became a leading seller in the league.
The biggest impact it had, though, was when the season started and Nassib was just another player. His story quickly slid to the background.