Jacksonville Jaguars associate strength coach Kevin Maxen hopes to inspire others by publicly coming out as gay.
"I want to be vocal in support of people living how they want to live, but I also want to just live and not feel fear about how people will react," Maxen told Outsports.
Maxen, who has had a boyfriend for more than two years, is the first male NFL coach to come out publicly. Katie Sowers was the first female NFL coach to come out as gay. She worked as an offensive assistant for the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Maxen, who previously worked as a strength and conditioning coach at Baylor and Vanderbilt, reportedly designs the workout plans for the offensive and defensive linemen for the Jaguars.
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He appeared confident that his sexuality would not be an issue with the team.
"I have a pretty good sense of humor," he told Outsports. "So a lot of the guys I can joke with and not take anything personally."
The owner of the Jaguars praised Maxen for his decision to be open about his sexuality.
"Kevin is a Jacksonville Jaguar through and through, and a key member of our football team and community," Shad Khan said in a statement to ESPN. "I look forward to seeing Kevin next week at training camp, and hope that he comes to work each day during camp and through the season feeling confident, free and at peace. I know our players and staff feel the same."
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