Warren Moon Had Several Gay Teammates, Says It Was Not An Issue
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib took to Instagram Monday to announce he is gay, and he is the first openly gay active player in NFL history.
NFL veteran Warren Moon took to social media to tell Nassib he was proud of him and mentioned he played with "several guys who never were comfortable enough to go public."
Moon praised Nassib in a series of tweets Monday evening while also discussing the increasing diversity and acceptance found in the NFL community today.
"As long as they helped us win and were great teammates- their sexual preference was never a issue," Moon tweeted. "We live in a different time now where diversity is much more accepted. Cheers Carl, and I hope this lets other athletes know, its OK to say who you are."
Moon played 17 seasons in the NFL — including six in the CFL — before retiring in 2001. The 64-year-old had hundreds of teammates over the years, TMZ reports.
The reaction to Nassib coming out as gay has been positive from NFL players and league officials. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement praising the Las Vegas Raiders defensive end.
"The NFL family is proud of Carl for courageously sharing his truth today," Goodell said in a statement. "... Representation matters."