Kicking off the new year with a cute boyfriend reveal and a trip to the playoffs? Gay NFL star Carl Nassib stays winning in 2023.
Over the past year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker has shared a few photos with a mystery man who followers eventually identified as Danish swimmer Søren Dahl. Enough time went by and Dahl continued popping up on Nassib’s Insta, so, naturally, rumors began to swirl.
Well, in the words of Lizzo, “all the rumors are true,” because Nassib confirmed their relationship in an Instagram Story post this week with a photo of the him standing side-by-side with Dahl, accompanied by text that reads: “Kicking off 2023 with my man and a trip to the playoffs.”
His man? Aww. Adorably, Dahl is even sporting Nassib’s Buccaneers jersey!
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Related: NFL player Carl Nassib made history by coming out, then led his team to victory
The swimmer posted the same photo to his grid on January 2, along with a series of other cute shots, featuring the caption, “Always Big Boy Season.” (That’s got to be a reference to the catchy SNL song featuring SZA, right?)
Here at Queerty, we’ve been stanning Nassib ever since he came out in 2021 and became the first openly gay active NFL player in history—did you know he was a major Swiftie?—so now it’s our duty to learn everything we can about this new boyfriend of his. Join us…
Who is Søren Dahl?
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The 29-year old athlete was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, but moved stateside to study at North Carolina State University.
While there, he was a member of the school’s swimming and diving team and became a two-time NCAA champion swimmer, as part of the 400 freestyle relay team and again as part of the 800 freestyle relay. In 2017, his team broke records by putting up the fastest time in both NCAA and US open history.
Related: Let’s replay the 10 most homoerotic sports moments of 2022
Dahl also represented Denmark at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He competed in the men’s 4 × 200 meter freestyle relay event. His team finished 12th over all, and set a national record.
In 2018, he announced a move to Fort Worth, Texas, where he’d be pursuing his masters degree in Strategic Communication at Texas Christian University (TCU). He graduated in 2020, and then some time thereafter moved to New York City.
And though he posts on Instagram rather infrequently, a photo from August 2022 shows him with Nassib, the NFL player resting his head on Dahl’s shoulder.
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A year prior, he uploaded a TikTok in which he revealed that a former coach told him he’d “never become a good swimmer” if he were openly gay. Shoving that homophobic remark right back in the coach’s face, Dahl then preceded to share a series of photos from his time competing in the Olympics. Take that, coach!
@kingkoper0 Get on my level fckrrr🖕🏼 #olympics #gayathlete #representation #homophobic #sports #gay ♬ Touch It Clean – Remix – Dj Raulito
While it’s not exactly clear when Dhal came out publicly, the swimmer made headlines last fall for his social media posts like the above that showed him living his best gay life, loudly and proudly.
And you know what? Life looks pretty good for Søren Dahl these days. See for yourself…
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With Nassib’s team, the Buccaneers, advancing to the NFL play-offs this year, we look forward to seeing more posts of Dahl cheering his man on—and vice versa.
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michellepfeiffer
I really hope that’s not a White Power sign he’s doing on that IG post. Ugh
Neoprene
Are you sure you don’t hope it is?
LumpyPillows
Really? It means “OK”. If you’re trying to be woke, at least figure out what the White Power sign is. Cancel-culture ferret.
SDR94103
obviously you’re not smart.
dbmcvey
What are you talking about?
bachy
So glad to see some of these self-appointed leaders of The New Queer Inquisition are finally getting some blowback.
The New Queer Inquisition: relentlessly striving for anonymous dominance via strict surveillance of the zeitgeist, scrutinizing every article and comment for the slightest indication of a transgressive opinion or POV.
They’re the QAnon of the Left. And they’ve managed to turn this entire comment section into a discussion of White Power.
guezwhoitis
All these white twat, defending the valid concern of his idiotic choice for OK- thumbs up is a great way to NOT be a twat. There’s always the mediocre white gay man who sits behind a keyboard and deflects the RACISM in the gay community. IGNORANT, UNEDUCATED, FRAGILE, INADEQUATE little girls. Also, if you think you can come for me with your unoriginal white fragility, I am the wrong one. I WILL COME FOR YOU……..
dbmcvey
@guezwhoitis
Take your meds.
LumpyPillows
guez I don’t care. To reinforce: take your meds.
jayhalleaux
He is not from the US and he might not know but looks pretty damning.
Neoprene
Stay vigilant. We all feel safer knowing you’re on the case.
mikhailmaui
Geez, when did the peace sign turn you into a bunch of conspiracy theorists. I have given the peace sign since the 1960’s. Ya’ll need to crawl back under your rocks.
bakeembakeem
He’s beautiful and now he has an NFL player, a very good boy???
Randy
Is that a White Power sign he’s flashing in the second pic in one post?
LumpyPillows
Most people have no idea what that sign is. All you cancel-culture ferrets need to give it a rest. I mean, that is what you come away from this article with?
Randy
The fact is, of course, that there ARE white nationalists who have increasingly been using the symbol to signal their presence to the like-minded. To them, the configuration means WP, for “white power.” I’m not making that up. This guy could be saying “Ok” or he could be saying “WP.” I’m not here to cancel anyone – I was just curious if others had the same thought.
dbmcvey
@Randy, jayhalleaux, michellepfeiffer, etc… Are you and the other people who posted about this the same people? I don’t know why you’re doing this but you just seem crazy.
bachy
o-m-i-g-a-w-d…. these two demigods are pushing buttons I didn’t know i had…
Didn’t Nassib have a much more low-key, brunette boyfriend in earlier posts? Don’t remember his name but wonder what happened to him…
quantum
per the Southern Poverty Law Center:
“Does the sign, the thumb and forefinger joined together in a circle, the remaining three fingers splayed out behind, mean “all’s good?” Or does it mean “white power” instead?
The smirk gives away the proper answer: You’re being trolled.”
afmandan
Big boy season is about chubby/fat guys, not tall guys. To no one’s surprise, Carl Nassib’s boyfriend is a dumbass
Dijonaise
Bitter Queen
bachy
I’m stunned by how much negativity, suspicion and contempt is automatically directed at these two athletes. WTF?
SDR94103
look in the mirror, Blanche.
bakeembakeem
He’s beautiful and now he has an NFL player, a very good boy???
DuMaurier
1) That swimmer has great legs (and everything else that’s visible)
2) I am never using the OK sign again
3) I never really used it anyway except sarcastically so no loss.
Saskatchewan
Both these fellas are adorable from their heads to their feet.
Makes me proud to Gay!!
Jon in Canada
Nice couple, but it would be nice if Nassib would stop being a republican/conservative. Homocons never help.
cuteguy
Scandinavian guys are the hottest
Vellala
Adorable couple!