#Jaguars assistant strength and conditioning coach Kevin Maxen comes out publicly as gay
Jacksonville Jaguars assistant strength coach Kevin Maxen came out publicly as gay Thursday, which makes him the first known openly gay male coach in the NFL and in all of American men’s professional sports.
Maxen joined the Jaguars’ strength and conditioning staff last season. He told Outsports’ Cyd Zeigler that a big part of why he wanted to come out publicly now was so that he could live openly with his boyfriend, Nick.
“I don’t want to feel like I have to think about it anymore,” Maxen said. “I don’t want to feel like I have to lie about who I am seeing or why I am living with someone else. I want to be vocal in support of people living how they want to live, but I also just want to live and not feel fear about how people will react.”
Maxen is the latest in the NFL to come out publicly as gay. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Carl Nassib became the league’s first active openly gay player when he came out in 2021, when he was with the Las Vegas Raiders. Maxen said he reached out to Nassib after he came out. Former San Francisco 49ers assistant Katie Sowers made history as both the first woman and first openly gay coach in a Super Bowl in 2020.
Maxen was a linebacker at Western Connecticut State, a Division III program. He held internships as a strength coach at Iowa and Army before earning full-time jobs at Baylor and Vanderbilt.
“Kevin was a big part in helping me prepare every Sunday during my last year in the NFL … Our friendship grew with the time spent working together and us sharing a lot of similarities on our views of life, being someone that just gets it,” former Jaguars lineman Brandon Linder told Outsports. “He understands what life is truly all about. That’s why I gravitated towards him.
“It was truly an honor and extremely humbling when I was one of the first people Kevin confided to about his sexuality. I can’t imagine how hard that must have been, not knowing what my reaction would be. I remember the day he told me I was so elated for him to get that off his chest.”
The Jaguars went 9-8 last season and reached the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 season. The franchise promoted Cedric Scott to replace Anthony Schlegel as head strength and conditioning coach last year. Maxen is one of three assistant strength and conditioning coaches on staff, along with Adam Potts and Brandon Ireland.
If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on Google News too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.
For forums sites go to Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com
If you want to read more News articles, you can visit our News category.
