Carl Nassib announced he was gay in an Instagram video last week. He has since received an outpouring of support nationwide.
Carl Nassib’s NFL jersey sales are on the uptick after the Las Vegas footballer announced last week that he is gay. Nassib, who plays for the Raiders, had the top-selling jersey, No. 94, on Monday and Tuesday across all Fanatics-owned apparel sites, according to the company.
The jersey sells for $120. It isn’t only Nassib’s jersey sales that are rising. Memorabilia connected to him, including his autographed rookie card and game-worn jersey, have also seen an uptick in sales, CBS News reported.
"His demand right now is at an all-time high," Jordan Gilroy, acquisitions director for New Jersey auction company Lelands, told CBS News. "A jersey of his, if it were to sell at an auction like ours, it could go for thousands upon thousands of dollars when it probably was worth, you know, mid-hundreds last week.”
Nassib is now the first openly gay active NFL player after announcing it in an Instagram video during Pride Month.
"I just think that representation and visibility are so important," Nassib said in the video. "I actually hope that, one day, videos like this and the whole coming out process are just not necessary, but until then I'm going to do my best and do my part to cultivate a culture that's accepting, that's compassionate.”
He also added that he would be giving a $100,000 donation to the Trevor Project, a nonprofit dedicated to LGBTQ+ suicide prevention.
Last week, President Biden acknowledged Nassib’s announcement and called him an “inspiring athlete.”
"Because of you, countless kids around the world are seeing themselves in a new light today," Biden said.
