Former Penn State defensive end Carl Nassib retires from NFL after seven seasons

A former Penn State defensive end has called it a career after playing seven seasons in the NFL.

Carl Nassib, who became the first openly gay active player in the league in 2021, announced his retirement Wednesday morning. Nassib announced his decision on Instagram.

“It really feels like just yesterday starting out as a walk-on at Penn State,” Nassib’s statement read. “Football has given me more than I ever could have imagined. I can truly hang up my helmet for the last time knowing I gave it everything I had. Growing up I love how fun football was. I loved the pursuit of perfection. I loved the small window where every player has to chase their dreams. It makes it all the more exciting if you get there. It was always my dream to play in the NFL, even as a walk-on, and I really feel like the luckiest guy on the planet.”

The former Nittany Lion finishes his career with 128 solo tackles and 25.5 sacks after playing for the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Las Vegas Raiders across his seven years. He accumulated 17.5 sacks in his time as a Nittany Lion, including a breakout 2015 campaign when he registered 15.5 of them.

Nassib was originally a third round pick by the Browns in 2016.