Former Penn State defensive end Carl Nassib has the top-selling jersey in the NFL in the day since Nassib announced he is gay. In making his announcement Monday night, the current Las Vegas Raiders player is on track to be the first openly gay NFL player to appear in a regular-season game.
Nassib has received an outpouring of support since his announcement, both from the Penn State community — including James Franklin and Saquon Barkley — and the larger NFL and sports world.
And Nassib’s reach has extended beyond that, too. Nassib’s No. 94 Raiders jersey has been the top-selling jersey in the NFL on Fanatics, according to ESPN. Fanatics is the official e-commerce partner of the NFL, and the sales are from the company’s network of online stores, according to ESPN.
Nassib made his announcement Monday night in a video and an accompanying written statement on Instagram.
Nassib, 28, also announced he was donating $100,000 to the Trevor Project, which is a nonprofit organization focused on suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth. On Tuesday, the NFL announced it was matching Nassib’s $100,000 donation.
Franklin, the Penn State coach, announced Monday night he was donating $10,000 to the Trevor Project.
“Carl’s brave announcement will forge a path for others to be true to their authentic self,” Franklin said in a statement. “I was proud of Carl when he led the nation in sacks, but I’m even more proud of him now.”
Nassib played for Penn State from 2011 through 2015, and he set the program’s single-season sack record with 15.5 in 2015.
