Bo Jackson expresses support, 'stands with' Raiders Carl Nassib, first openly gay NFL player

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib received national attention after coming out as gay on Monday. Nassib will be the first active NFL player to play as an openly gay man.

Nassib received support Tuesday from one of the top players in Raiders history — Bo Jackson.

Jackson said in a tweet, "Proud of Carl Nassib on coming out yesterday. The #RaiderNation, the whole country, and I stand with you."

Jackson played fullback and running back for the Raiders from 1987-90. He was selected to the All-Rookie team in 1987 and the Pro Bowl in 1990. Jackson also played Major League Baseball during and after his time in the NFL — with the Kansas City Royals (1986-90), Chicago White Sox (1991, '93) and Los Angeles Angels (1994.)

Nassib is entering his sixth season in the NFL. He spent the 2020 season with the Raiders, playing in 14 games and starting five times. He previously played for the Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"I just wanted to take a quick moment to say that I’m gay," Nassib said Monday in a video on Instagram. "I’ve been meaning to do this for a while now but finally feel comfortable getting it off my chest. I really have the best life, the best family, friends and job a guy can ask for."

'THE NFL NEEDED THIS': How Nassib's coming out can change football

OPINION: Nassib's coming out doesn't just make history, it could save lives

'RESPECT': Openly gay ex-college player gets emotional about Nassib

“I’m a pretty private person, so I hope you guys know that I’m not doing this for attention," Nassib continued. "I just think that representation and visibility are so important. I actually hope that one day, videos like this and the whole coming out process are not necessary, but until then I will do my best and my part to cultivate a culture that’s accepting and compassionate."

Before playing in the NFL, Nassib played college football at Penn State from 2013-15. The Cleveland Browns selected him in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Erik Hall is the lead digital producer for sports with the USA Today Network. You can find him on Twitter @HallErik.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Bo Jackson supports Raiders' Carl Nassib, first openly gay NFL player