Carl Nassib is the first active NFL player to come out as gay.
A former Vikings player says Nassib won't be the last.
Esera Tuaolo retired from pro football in 1999, and came out as gay in 2002.
"There's more education out there now, there's more visibility of other pro athletes coming out," Tuaolo told Adam Carter on the WCCO Morning News.
"We're definitely going to see more players coming out and being true to themselves," he said.
Nassib made his announcement via social media on Monday, and Tuaolo said he's extremely happy about it.
"I'm grinning ear-to-ear right now," he said. "It was absolutely amazing, his courage. The first thing I guess I thought about is how many people that he's going to help."
Tuaolo said he feels the culture has changed enough since his days in uniform that gay players should be welcome in NFL locker rooms.
"It hasn't been a few years, it's been, like, twenty," he said, with a laugh. "There wasn't a whole lot of support. Any time the topic would come up in the locker rooms or anywhere, it would be negative."
Tuaolo said the support is now there, and Nassib's message is well-received.
"The power is in telling your story, and for Carl telling his story to the world is going to be amazing."