He wanted to be out there on the field, too, but he was thrilled to see an out athlete taking the spotlight. Russell was watching at home with Corey and grinning ear-to-ear. Nassib, a defensive end for the Raiders, made his debut as the first out NFL player in a regular-season game on September 13. He and his partner, professional dancer Corey O’Brien, live in Los Angeles. He’s the author of several articles on LGBTQ advocacy and, in 2019, he penned Prison or Passion, a collection of unflinching poetry about childhood, masculinity, love, and, of course, football. In the meantime, he’s working out to stay in NFL shape while working on his writing. Russell, now 29, is eager to get back into the NFL-his agent is in talks with teams looking for backups. “My truth is that I’m a talented football player, a damn good writer, a loving son, an overbearing brother, a caring friend, a loyal lover, and a bisexual man.” “My truth is that I’m a talented football player, a damn good writer, a loving son, an overbearing brother, a caring friend, a loyal lover, and a bisexual man,” he wrote. A year later he came out as bisexual in a personal essay for ESPN.
