Defensive end Carl Nassib announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday after seven seasons. Nassib, who played for the Browns, Buccaneers (2x) and the Raiders, shared on Instagram that he could “hang up his helmet for the last time” knowing that he gave the sport everything he had.

Nassib wrote: “This is a bittersweet moment for me. Growing up I loved how fun football was. I loved the pursuit of perfection. I loved the small window where every player has to chase their dreams. …I really feel like the luckiest guy on the planet.” He also thanked his family, friends, his agent and the teams he played for, particularly Tampa Bay: “These two [Jason Licht and John Spytek] reignited my career not once… but twice. I was fired twice and they picked me up both times. I played my best football in Tampa and it never would have happened if it wasn’t for those two legends.”

Nassib was drafted by Cleveland in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft. He spent two seasons with the Browns, three seasons with the Buccaneers and two as a member of the Raiders. He finishes his NFL career with 187 combined tackles (128 solo), 45 tackles for loss, 59 quarterback hits, 25.5 sacks, 19 pass deflections, four forced fumbles and one interception in 99 games.

Nassib made history in 2021 when he revealed that he was gay, becoming the first openly gay active NFL player. Per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, Nassib said that his future plans are to work with the league on diversity, equity and inclusion and “exciting philanthropic efforts”.

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