Kavin Maxen, Strength Coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, has come out publicly about his homosexuality, creating a first in the best football league in the world.

Kevin Maxen has openly admitted his homosexuality in an interview with “Outsports”. This makes the strength coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars the first coach from one of the major US leagues to publicly declare his love for a man.

With his statement, Maxen wants to serve as a role model. “I don’t want to feel like I have to think about it anymore. I don’t want to feel like I have to lie about who I’m dating or who I’m with,” he is quoted as saying.

Jaguars coach Maxen goes public with homosexuality

And further, “I want to advocate for people to live the way they want to live, but I also want to live simply and not be afraid of how people will react.” Maxen and his boyfriend Nick have been together for two and a half years.

The coach does not believe that his outing could cause any problems. Rather, he apparently feels relieved of the burden of no longer having to hide. “For a while I had such a hatred for myself that I thought it came from the fear of what others might think about me. But it wasn’t,” he explains.

“It was an anger and a hatred of myself for having manoeuvred myself into a life where I was living by other people’s rules and not my own. And I was rightfully angry at myself for thinking I had to live by others’ example,” Maxen elaborates.

Support from Jaguars owner Khan

While other coaches were open with their partners, the Jaguars assistant felt he couldn’t share his significant other with the public. “There are other coaches who have significant others and they talk about it. And I felt guilty that I couldn’t do the same, that I let myself down. I want the person I’m with to be able to share that with me. “

Jaguars owner Shad Khan pledged his full support to Maxen on “ESPN”, “Kevin is a Jacksonville Jaguar through and through. I look forward to seeing Kevin at training camp next week and hope he comes to work every day during camp and throughout the season feeling confident, free and at peace. I know our players and staff feel the same.”

Carl Nassib, then with the Oakland Raiders, already came out about his homosexuality nearly two years ago. The defensive end was the first active NFL player to come out. Now he is being followed by the first male coach. Previously, female coaches had already made their homosexuality known, including Katie Sowers of the San Francisco 49ers.