NFL Coach Comes Out as Gay in Historic First
Kevin Maxen was inspired by Carl Nassib, the first NFL player to come out as gay.
In the history of the NFL, there has been only one player who has publicly come out as gay while actively playing football. During a stint with the Las Vegas Raiders, Carl Nassib opened up about his sexuality June 21, 2021. Clearly, his move has inspired others to do the same. This week, one NFL coach followed in his footsteps, becoming the first NFL coach to identify as homosexual.
On Thursday, Kevin Maxen, the Jacksonville Jaguars associate strength coach, made the announcement via an interview with Outsports. "I don't want to feel like I have to think about it anymore," he said.
"I don't want to feel like I have to lie about who I am seeing, or why I am living with someone else," he continued. "I want to be vocal in support of people living how they want to live, but I also want to just live and not feel fear about how people will react."
"It wasn't until recently – and with the immense love and support of my family, my friends, colleagues and peers, and the courage and sacrifice from my partner – that I realized I have the right and responsibility to love and be loved, and that maybe sharing this will hopefully give someone else the strength to accept their own life and take control of their own story," he added.
He hopes that the Jaguars players will react positively to the news. "I have a pretty good sense of humor," he said. "So a lot of the guys I can joke with and not take anything personally."
He also revealed that he reached out to Nassib in February 2022 as he decided on how and when to come out. "For a while, I had such an anger for myself and hatred that I thought was from a fear of what others might think about who I am," Maxen said. "But that wasn't it. It was an anger and hatred of myself because I put myself in a life where I was living by other people's rules and not by my own. And I was right to be angry at myself for thinking that I had to live in the image of anyone else."
Jacksonville's director of player development, Marcus Pollard, reacted positively to the news. "In an environment that is diversifying, it is a privilege to work alongside Kevin who is hardworking, dedicated, and thriving as a strength and conditioning coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars," Pollard told Outsports.
