NEW: Jacksonville Jaguars’ assistant strength and conditioning coach, Kevin Maxen, makes history by becoming the first male coach in professional sports in the U.S. to publicly come out as gay.
FILE - Kevin Maxen of the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL football team poses for a photo in June 2021. Maxen, an associate strength coach with the Jaguars, has become the first male coach in a major U.S.-based professional league to come out as gay. Maxen spoke about his sexual orientation in an interview published Thursday, July 20, 2023, by Outsports."Kevin is a Jacksonville Jaguar through and through, and a key member of our football team and community," Khan said in his statement.
Maxen told Outsports.com that he has been together with his partner Nick for approximately two-and-a-half years and that he came out because he wants to live his life openly without fear while hopefully inspiring others to do the same.
While others within the Jaguars organization would share stories of their families or introduce them to colleagues at team functions, Maxen said he initially felt the need to stay silent about his partner and not share details about his personal life.“You have other coaches who have significant others, and they’re talking about their significant others,” Maxen said. “And I felt guilty that I couldn’t do the same thing, that I was letting myself down.
Since coming out, Maxen has received an immense amount of support from within the Jaguars organization.“In an environment that is diversifying, it is a privilege to work alongside Kevin who is hardworking, dedicated and thriving as a strength and conditioning coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars,” said Marcus Pollard, Jaguars Director of Player Development.
Said Brandon Linder, a center for the Jaguars for eight seasons who worked with Maxen during his final year in the NFL: “Kevin was a big part in helping me prepare every Sunday during my last year in the NFL … 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.
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