Derek Carr Shares What His Message To Carl Nassib Was

Carl Nassib has received a widespread outpouring of support since becoming the first active NFL player to come out as gay. Importantly, members of the Las Vegas Raiders organization have expressed their support of their veteran defensive lineman.

Quarterback Derek Carr became the latest franchise player to issue his support for the 28-year-old Nassib. Apparently, he shared a touching message to his teammate after the defensive lineman revealed his news on Instagram on Monday evening.

Carr said that he reached out to Nassib after his announcement and told him that he loved him.

“I often said I love my teammates. I mean it," Carr said,

#Raiders QB Derek Carr reached out to Carl Nassib & told Nassib he loved him. Carr: “I often said I love my teammates. I mean it. We always say we are a family in that Raider locker room, and we mean that. I want to win a championship here with Carl & the rest of our teammates.”

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 22, 2021

">according to Ian Rapoport. "We always say we are a family in that Raider locker room, and we mean that. I want to win a championship here with Carl & the rest of our teammates.”

As a noted leader of the Raiders, Carr's support of Nassib is encouraging and should help spread that attitude to the rest of the organization.

The Las Vegas quarterback joined a collection of other current and former players to issue their support for Nassib this week. Warren Moon, Bo Jackson and more posted messages on social to stand behind the five-year NFL veteran.

Raiders team president Marc Badain also showed his support when he spoke fondly of Nassib on Tuesday.

“Well look, as an organization, we’re very proud of him,” Badain said in a video posted by Cassie Soto of the Las Vegas Review-Journal and transcribed by Pro Football Talk. “The organization has always sort of been built on a progressive mentality. Mr. [Al] Davis started that when he was with the team and some of the things he did with throughout the years in the 60s and 70s. And Mark has really continued that. And I think you can look at Mark’s words for how the organization feels. His first reaction was a genuine one — it’s 2021 and we’re still making a big deal out of this. But we really shouldn’t. I know it is. I know it will remain and we’ll look forward to the day when it’s not. The organization is fully behind him and very supportive and proud of what he did yesterday.”

Nassib's Raiders jersey skyrocketed to become the top-selling jersey on Fanatics for both Monday and Tuesday, showing that his announcement has been well-received by fans around the country.

Hopefully, that support continues well into the 2021 campaign.