Yesterday Carl Nassib became the first player to come out as gay while playing in the NFL.
As the accolades poured in from around the country in support of Carl Nassib, a long-lingering thought festered in my head. Carl Nassib? Didn't he used to play for the Cleveland Browns? Yes, yes he did....
Carl Nassib was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. A Bronko Nagurski finalist, I vaguely remember that he slid down the draft board because he was too small to be a defensive end but too big to be a linebacker. I believe I heard him called a "tweener." No one questioned his football acumen.
Nassib played for the 1-15 Cleveland Browns that year, and became a starter in 2017. That year the Browns went 0-16. The two years Nassib was in Cleveland, the Browns were TERRIBLE. I didn't say Nassib was terrible, the Browns were terrible. Their team was bereft of talent and their front office was (in hindsight) in shambles.
Then, to begin the 2018 season, Carl Nassib was one of the last people to be cut before the season started. Despite being one of the first picks by noted analytics guru Paul "Moneyball" DePodesta. Despite being on the team that drafted him. Despite being on a team friendly contract. Despite being a star on HBO's Hard Knocks. And despite the team being more than $50 million UNDER THE SALARY CAP.
Carl Nassib went on to make MORE money per year in Tampa Bay and Las Vegas. I'm telling you, there was a rat in the Browns building. Maybe someone from the NFL league office should ask some questions. First in line would be noted jerk and former Browns Defensive Coordinator/Head Coach Gregg "Bountygate" Williams. Why did you want Carl Nassib cut from your defense?
Then ask former coach Hue Jackson why Carl Nassib was cut. Jackson is still so furious with the Browns he's writing a tell-all book and was quoted just a few months ago at Pro Football Talk:
“There’s no doubt I was lied to by ownership and leadership of the team,’’ Jackson said, via Cleveland.com. “They were going to be football plus analytics, but it was football vs. analytics.’’
That quote isn't from 2018, it's from 4 months ago.
And finally ask former Browns GM John Dorsey why Carl Nassib was cut. John Dorsey, who has such a stellar reputation around the league, Fansided's Pete Smith wrote this: Don't Hire John Dorsey as Your Team's General Manager.
That article wasn't from 2019, it's from 6 months ago.
Don't get me wrong, maybe Carl Nassib was cut because the Browns were idiots. But someone better verify that.