West Chester native Carl Nassib, the first active, openly gay player in the NFL, has said he was retiring from football after seven seasons to focus on his business ventures, including his social media company, Rayze, writes Kerith Gabriel for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

Nassib is a former Malvern Prep star and walk-on at Penn State. He spent his time in the NFL playing as a defensive end with Cleveland during the 2016-17 season, Las Vegas in 2020-21, and Tampa Bay in 2018-19 and 2022. 

In addition to Rayze, an application-based platform that utilizes social media to help with philanthropic efforts, Nassib has served as a spokesperson for Financial Finesse, which produces an initiative called NIL Long Game. The initiative is designed to help college athletes navigate the opportunities related to their name, image, and likeness. 

“I remember being a college athlete on a top team and not knowing how to take care of or support myself,” said Nassib. “My goal with this initiative is to help these future athletes navigate what can be a scary time but focus on why their brand is one companies should be paying attention to — and compensating accordingly.” 

Read more about Carl Nassib’s transition from sports to business in The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

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