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NFL Star Carl Nassib Tackles Donations to Nonprofits and Inspiring Others: PSCA National
Carl Nassib made a considerable amount of big plays in his NFL career. Still active in the NFL, Nassib played professional games with the Browns, Buccaneers, and Raiders. When Nassib isn't tackling the competition as an outside linebacker—he's introducing nonprofits to a new generation of donors with his app Rayze.
Nassib opened up his Day Two general session by starting at the beginning of his football career, detailing the adversity he faced.
"So I actually never started a game of football in high school at all."
Despite an overall "lackluster experience"—Nassib grabbed a walk-on spot at Penn State following his performance in the last game of his high school season.
"[It was my] senior year of high school. And it was a snowy day; I had three sacks. And it was the first time I was ever going to [be in a] paper."
Nassib again faced adversity at Penn State, which featured constant benching and little support from team coaches, yet Nassib found connections with those in similar circumstances.
"And what was the most important thing for me to be successful was I surround myself with the best people possible. I surround myself with the other walk-ons, or scholarship kids who are determined to get better, who are determined to sacrifice."
One of the session's funnier moments was when he connected his muscle gains in college with the number of hormones in countless $2 chickens he consumed from weekly Walmart trips.
"It's like the size of a football. You know what I mean? That's probably how I got so big. All those hormones."
Nassib explained that he ultimately found Penn State success through his work ethic.
"I dedicated myself more than I ever have my entire life. I sacrificed everything to just get better."
After getting drafted by the Browns with the 65th pick in the 2016 Draft, Nassib explained how his first two years featured endless failures and a spirit-breaking release on the documentary show Hard Knocks. Nassib's first year featured a team record of 1-15, and the next year saw the Browns go 0-16.
"I won one game in two years. Does anybody know how it is to get branded as a loser in anything?"
Nassib talked extensively about how failure has motivated him to keep pushing himself and how his search for something more connected him with volunteerism.
"And when you live for others, the rewards that you get are way bigger, way better. The opportunities are a compliment [that is] way bigger, way better than you can ever imagine."
Nassib also discussed his experience with coming out as gay during the 2021 season, being the NFL's first openly gay active player, and how overwhelming the positive support was.
"One of the best experiences that I have experienced was coming out as gay in the NFL while playing 2021. I received more love, more support than any human."
The app Rayze, as Nassib noted, helps fill the donor gap, which has sharply decreased since 2020.
"So the US Census just released a statistic that there was another 25% drop if volunteers from 2019 to 2021. So the pandemic has wiped out nearly 25% of volunteers. That number went from 30% to 23%."
Older generations, as Nassib explained, are either willing away their fortunes to nonprofits or will not be there in the future to support nonprofits. Nassib mentioned how generations like Gen Z and Millennials don't write checks or carry cash, and their demand for digital solutions.
"And this young generation, Gen Z, is probably the most socially conscious out there. They're informed, they're passionate. And activating them, getting them involved is something that we are really, really striving to do. They want to get involved."
Nassib's hope is for the ease of use of Rayze to drive younger generations to find nonprofits they connect with and can get on board with.
"Rayze is a direct link to this younger generation. I hope can revive their [nonprofits] bases."
The Rayze app is available at https://rayzeapp.com or on all App Store markets.
To download the Trevor Project, visit: https://www.thetrevorproject.org. The Trevor Project provides information & support to LGBTQ young people 24/7, all year round.
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