#5 Las Vegas Raiders defensive end thought coming out would end his career
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Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib made history by becoming the first openly gay NFL player to make a roster, and his stock has only gone up from there. Nassib had the highest selling football jersey in the Fanatics network after coming out, and he has raised a lot of awareness in the process.
“I thought about it every once in a while. Thought about how I wanted to do it,” Nassib said during a podcast interview. “I didn’t know how people would react. I wanted to make sure I was financially stable before I did it. I didn’t know if it would ruin my career. I didn’t know if guys would be supportive or not.”
Despite his initial skepticism, he would go on to make the 55-man roster for the Raiders and is one of their best defensive players.
“When I decided to come out, it was not easy,” Nassib said. “Personally, for my life, I didn’t want to do it. But I felt a huge obligation to my community, to all the young kids out there who are struggling with their sexuality. If I could help just a few of them out, then I could sleep better at night.”
#2 Las Vegas sports star returns
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Liz Cambage usually makes news for lighting up the scoreboard and bringing in key rebounds to secure victories. Who would have thought she would do so for contracting COVID-19? The Las Vegas Aces star center tested positive in August of this year and underwent a two-and-a-half-week grueling battle with the virus. While that would probably leave a regular person bedridden for another month, Cambage responded by making an impact in every game she played in since her return.
For example, in her return game against the Mercury, she notched ten points, three rebounds, and two assists. She then followed that up with seven points and three rebounds in her first playoff game of the season. Now, these aren’t her best numbers, but serving as that defensive anchor for the team is essential. All the Aces have to do is find ways to make up for Cambage’s lack of offense and let her focus on the defensive side of the ball.
“After lying in bed for 2 weeks, I’ve lost my cardio a bit,” Cambage said on a postgame video call. “I’m just very thankful the COVID didn’t get in my lungs, and I think I’ve got the vaccine to thank for that. I’m grateful to be back with the girls; it was tough.
#3 Gerald McCoy to serve six game suspension for PEA
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The Las Vegas Raiders defense took a huge hit this week after defensive end Gerald McCoy announced on Twitter that he had tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and would undergo a six-game suspension for his actions. The league also announced that McCoy would not be compensated for the six games that he’s being forced to sit out, making him miss out on a good chunk of money. The news came only three weeks after McCoy suffered a knee injury during the opening game of the season, resulting in the Raiders placing him on Injury reserve.
“I love the game of football and have nothing but respect for the players, fans, and this league,” McCoy stated in an announcement on Twiter. “I’ve given my all to this game and worked my entire career to compete, train, and rehabilitate at a high level with integrity. It is with great disappointment that I recently learned I tested positive for a banned substance something I was prescribed to take to help with scar tissue and tendon strength from a previous injury.”
#2 Derek Carr wins AFC player of the month
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Derek Carr has been a man on a mission to prove he deserves to be the franchise Quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders and his case just keeps getting stronger. Keep in mind that the Raiders started the season 3-0, Derek Carr has the most passing yards in the entire league, and they have are two and zero in overtime. If nothing else, his winning AFC West player of the month doesn’t seem to do justice to what this man has accomplished so far this season.
Again, this is the same guy that everyone wanted to give up on last season. The guy we all whined about not being the franchise player that could carry the team to that next level. However, this season, Carr currently sits with a completion rating of 64.7, 1203 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions in three games. He’s also emerging as an early MVP candidate at the end of the season.
#1 Las Vegas native, Kurt Busch starts windows of hope initiate to raise awareness on breast cancer
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Finally, Las Vegas native Kurt Busch might have been eliminated from the round of 12 at Bristol Motor Speedway, but that hasn’t stopped him from making a difference. Busch started the Window of Hope initiative that will see NASCAR drivers’ window nets painted pink in honor of breast cancer awareness month. Busch, a former Cup Series champion and winner of the Daytona 500, got the idea after a young fan who survived breast cancer sent him a little to read.
Drivers that choose to participate will be asked to sign their pink drivers net at the end of the race, and that it will be then be auctioned off to raise money for treatment and research. To participate in the auction, please go to www.nascar.com/pinknets to place your bid on one of the driver’s nets. In the end, Kurt Busch has done some pretty crazy things on the track throughout his career, but doing something like this has to be a sort of a turning point for him where he goes from veteran to garage leader.
