The NCAA’s power is slipping away, plus Carl Nassib makes NFL history by coming out as gay

Some NFL history was made off the field on Monday as Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib became the first active NFL player in the league’s history to announce that he is gay. Nassib took to his Instagram account to make the announcement. In addition, the former Penn State standout revealed that he is donating $100,000 to The Trevor Project, which is a crisis support service for LGBTQ youth. 

Former St. Louis Rams defensive end Michael Sam was the first openly gay player to be selected in the NFL Draft back in 2014. However, he was released before he ever playing in a regular season NFL game.

Here are some very poignant quotes from Nassib regarding his decision to come out.

• “I’ve been meaning to do this for a while now, but I finally feel comfortable enough to get it off my chest. I really have the best life. I’ve got the best family, friends and job a guy could ask for.”
• “I’m a pretty private person, so I hope you guys know I’m not really doing this for attention. I just think that representation and visibility are so important. 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.”
• “I am a lanky walk-on who is living his dream. I only have a small window to achieve greatness in my sport and I owe it to my team, coaches, and Raider fans to be completely locked in and at my best for the upcoming season. I’m a private person, so I’d ask the media to give me some space as I navigate this exciting time in my life. Please do not take it personally if I decline an interview or am unable to answer your questions. Thank you everyone for your support. Happy Pride Month and Go Raiders.” 

This had to be a very empowering moment for Nassib and it’s awesome to see the defensive lineman do this during Pride Month.

3. Potential Ben Simmons trade destinations 🏀

The 76ers entered the postseason as the top seed in the Eastern Conference and were expected to make a deep run. On Sunday, those dreams were dashed as the Atlanta Hawks beat them in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. One of the biggest reasons for Philadelphia’s early playoff exit was the lackluster play from star forward Ben Simmons.

Over the course of the seven-game series, Simmons scored in double figures in just three games and shot just 32.7 percent from the free-throw line.

What’s worse is that Simmons showcased almost no desire to be aggressive and shoot the basketball. As a result, it would appear that Simmons and the Sixers are headed for a divorce. Our NBA scribe Sam Quinn laid out some potential landing spots for Simmons and what the Sixers could ask for in return.

• Portland Trail Blazers: “This is going to be a staring contest. The first question Daryl Morey is going to ask Neil Olshey this offseason will likely be ‘how much do I need to add to Ben Simmons to get Damian Lillard.’ The answer, for now, is likely more than Morey has. Olshey will, in turn, ask how much he needs to add to CJ McCollum to get Simmons. The answer there isn’t as clear and depends on Morey’s patience. Simmons would fit with either. Lillard isn’t available now. That might change if the Blazers disappoint again. Eventually, one of these two teams is going to blink.”
• Toronto Raptors: “The 2019 Milwaukee Bucks launched themselves into the title picture by surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo with shooting and defense. Could a similar blueprint revive Simmons? It might be worth a try for the Raptors, who could recapture the success from their 2020 season by adding Simmons: excellent defense and transition offense make up for a poor half-court attack. Pascal Siakam regressed meaningfully last season and clashed with head coach Nick Nurse. Perhaps there’s a swap there.”
• Chicago Bulls: “There was surely a window in which Philadelphia could have traded Simmons for Zach LaVine. The 76ers might have even been able to acquire LaVine without giving Simmons up. It’s unclear how open that window is now, with LaVine having reached All-Star status and Simmons trending downward. Chicago traded multiple first-round picks to get Nikola Vucevic seemingly in an effort to placate LaVine, who is now only a year away from free agency. Vucevic’s versatile offensive game would pair just as well with Simmons.”

As a 76ers fan, the pipe dream is Lillard, but the Trail Blazers haven’t made him available in trade talks just yet. Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal would also be a nice consolation prize. Regardless, I’m pretty confident that Simmons won’t be on the Sixers roster when the 2021-22 NBA season opens in the fall. With his inept approach on the offensive end, Philadelphia needs to make sure that they acquire someone who can shoot in a trade for Simmons.

4. Make or break players for each NFL team 🏈

NFL players will be reporting to training camp in a month and that means that the 2021 season is right around the corner. With the offseason in the books, many players have switched addresses and will be looking to make an impact with their new teams.

With that in mind, CBS Sports NFL insider Jason La Canfora detailed players and coaches that could make or break their respective team during the 2021 season.

Here’s a look at some intriguing ones — all of whom happen to be QBs.

• Indianapolis Colts – Carson Wentz: “Was last year the beginning of the end of his days as a possible MVP candidate, or a blip of sorts? Is he another Band-Aid option for Indy post-Andrew Luck, or will he be there for his prime?”
• Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow: “How quickly will he play after surgery cut his rookie season off too soon? Will there be a lengthy process to get back to where he was? Will they protect him better and put him in better position to succeed?”
• Chicago Bears – Justin Fields: “How long will those in power wait to play their best quarterback? It’s clear this won’t be a fair fight at camp, and with jobs at stake at some point they turn it over to the rookie hoping he can keep them around. It’s telegraphed for weeks.”

Personally, I’m extremely interested in how the 2021 rookie class does this season as many could have substantial playing time.

 Obviously, Trevor Lawrence will be starting for the Jacksonville Jaguars right off the bat and Zach Wilson will be the New York Jets starting signal caller. However, Fields has a more complicated path as head coach Matt Nagy doesn’t anticipate the Ohio State product starting in Week 1. If Fields sees the field early on, it certainly could be the difference between the Bears making the playoffs or missing them completely. 

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