Michael Sam (Rams, pick No. 249) is first openly gay player drafted

Contents:

• BEFORE CARL NASSIB, MICHAEL SAM WAS THE NFL’S FIRST OPENLY GAY DRAFT PICK. HE NEVER PLAYED A REGULAR SEASON GAME.
• MEET STT FRANTZ, AN OPENLY GAY NFL DRAFT PROSPECT WH A CHANCE TO MAKE HISTORY
• MICHAEL SAM (RAMS, PICK NO. 249) IS FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER DRAFTED
• BEFORE CARL NASSIB, MICHAEL SAM WAS THE NFL’S FIRST OPENLY GAY DRAFT PICK. HE NEVER PLAYED A REGULAR SEASON GAME.
• MICHAEL SAM IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY FOOTBALL PLAYER DRAFTED INTO THE NFL (VIDEO)
• MICHAEL SAM, FIRST OPENLY GAY NFL DRAFT, IS DROPPED BY RAMS
• MICHAEL SAM, FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER, RETIR FOR MENTAL HEALTH REASONS
• RAMS CUT MICHAEL SAM, FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER DRAFTED
• NHL PROSPECT LE PROKOP OUT AS GAY, A FIRST FOR THE LEAGUE
• OBAMA NGRATULAT MICHAEL SAM, FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER DRAFTED BY NFL

BEFORE CARL NASSIB, MICHAEL SAM WAS THE NFL’S FIRST OPENLY GAY DRAFT PICK. HE NEVER PLAYED A REGULAR SEASON GAME.

Seven years before Las Vegas Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib beme the first active NFL player to e out as gay on Monday, an all-Amerin om the Universy of Missouri risked a promisg reer wh a public claratn.

“I am an openly proud gay man, ” Michael Sam, a 24-year-old fensive end, told ESPN and the New York Tim Febary announcement followed a surprisg 12-2 season for Missouri, which won the SEC East and then the Cotton Bowl as Sam was named the SEC fensive player of the year. On Tuday, Sam thanked Nassib for jog the ranks of LGBTQ football players, payg special tribute to the donatn Nassib ma to the Trevor Project, a nonprof foced on suici Vegas Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib announced June 21 on Instagram that he is gay, makg him the first active NFL player to e out.

MEET STT FRANTZ, AN OPENLY GAY NFL DRAFT PROSPECT WH A CHANCE TO MAKE HISTORY

The NFL particular had faced cricism for allegedly askg prospects about their sexual orientatn and had been acced of hamperg players who spoke out favor of gay many profsnal athlet around the world, cludg several retired NFL players, had e out by 2014, no one who was still playg football had dared to make that move before story rurfaced on Monday when the 28-year-old Nassib, who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns 2016 and now plays for the Rairs, announced that he is gay a vio on Instagram. “Here’s the tth: Everyone ow Michael Sam such a b of gratu, ” Wa Davis, a former NFL rnerback who me out as gay 2012, told The Washgton Post on Monday.

He wasn’t the only gay man who stggled to fd a place the NFL after g retired NFL players have publicly intified as gay, begng wh Dave Kopay, who me out 1975, three years after leavg the sport. Frantz uld eventually be the first openly gay man to play an NFL regular-season game. In 2014, former Missouri fensive end Michael Sam beme the first openly gay player to be drafted, landg wh the Rams as a seventh-round pick, but he was cut by the team before the regular season.

MICHAEL SAM (RAMS, PICK NO. 249) IS FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER DRAFTED

Frantz, a sophomore at the time, was "sred" and "nervo" about revealg his sexual orientatn, but those feelgs fad when he saw how the group reacted. That terview wh Rowe marked the first time Frantz spoke publicly about beg gay. He had known he was gay sce the fifth gra, but he didn't tell anyone close to him prr to the 2016 meetg.

NEW YORK -- In the leadup to the NFL Draft, former Missouri fensive end Michael Sam was one of the most well-known fensive players out there after he beme the first openly gay NFL prospect. Though he ma huge headl when he announced that he was gay the leadup to the draft, Sam was never really thought of as more than a late-round pick and/or a potential undrafted ee agent.

BEFORE CARL NASSIB, MICHAEL SAM WAS THE NFL’S FIRST OPENLY GAY DRAFT PICK. HE NEVER PLAYED A REGULAR SEASON GAME.

Hearg the #NFLDraft is beg shown at gay bars everywhere. Clearly teams are worried about the fact a gay player terrifi them...

MICHAEL SAM IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY FOOTBALL PLAYER DRAFTED INTO THE NFL (VIDEO)

Seven years before Las Vegas Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib beme the first active NFL player to e out as gay on Monday, an All-Amerin om the Universy of Missouri risked a promisg reer wh a public claratn. “I am an openly proud gay man, ” Michael Sam, a 24-year-old fensive end, told ESPN and The New York Tim Febary announcement followed a surprisg 12-2 season for Missouri, which won the SEC East and then the Cotton Bowl as Sam was named the SEC fensive player of the year.

MICHAEL SAM, FIRST OPENLY GAY NFL DRAFT, IS DROPPED BY RAMS

The NFL particular had faced cricism for allegedly askg prospects about their sexual orientatn and had been acced of hamperg players who spoke out favor of gay rights. Though many profsnal athlet around the world, cludg several retired NFL players, had e out by 2014, no one who was still playg football had dared to make that move before story rurfaced on Monday when the 28-year-old Nassib, who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns 2016 and now plays for the Rairs, announced that he is gay a vio on Instagram.

MICHAEL SAM, FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER, RETIR FOR MENTAL HEALTH REASONS

And he wasn’t the only gay man who stggled to fd a place the NFL after g retired NFL players have publicly intified as gay, begng wh Dave Kopay who me out 1975, three years after leavg the sport. The first-team All-Amerin fensive leman om the Universy of Missouri beme the first openly gay player ever drafted to the NFL when the St.

(STORY CONTINUES BELOW)WATCH: Michael Sam Reacts To Beg Drafted By The RamsThe 24-year-old om Hchck, Texas announced that he was gay Febary terviews wh The New York Tim and ESPN. — Benny Cunngham (@BennyCunngham) May 10, 2014Sam's tone selectn the NFL draft was the latt historic moment for a gay athlete.

In Febary, Brooklyn Nets center Jason Colls beme the first openly gay player NBA history. In May 2013, Los Angel Galaxy midfielr Robbie Rogers beme the first openly gay player MLS history. In 2014, Sam uld bee the first openly gay athlete to play an NFL game.

RAMS CUT MICHAEL SAM, FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER DRAFTED

He's tackled stereotyp and jos the ranks of athletic trailblazers like Jason Colls and Brtney Grer showg Amerins that there's no place for homophobia on the field. As support for equaly ntu to surge, 's clear that sports fans are ready, football is ready, and Ameri is ready for s first openly gay NFL player. Related gay athlet2014 nfl draftNFL Draftsportsnfl-draft-2014Before You GoPopular the CommunyYou May Like.

Michael Sam, First Openly Gay NFL Draft, Is Dropped By Rams: The Two-Way The former Missouri fensive end was edged out a petn agast undrafted rookie Ethan Wtbrooks for a spot on St.

NHL PROSPECT LE PROKOP OUT AS GAY, A FIRST FOR THE LEAGUE

Sam, the first openly gay player drafted by an NFL team, was released by the St. ET Michael Sam, the first openly gay player drafted to an NFL team, has been released by the St. Wr: "Sam's efforts to bee the first openly gay player NFL history me up jt short a petn agast undrafted rookie Ethan Wtbrooks.

OBAMA NGRATULAT MICHAEL SAM, FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER DRAFTED BY NFL

Sam, who played fensive end for Missouri llege, was picked 249th out of 256 the May draft after g out earlier the year about his homosexualy. Cyd Zeigler, -founr of OutSports, a sports news se that's dited to LBGT athlet, said an terview wh NPR's All Thgs Consired May, that he didn't thk that Sam's homosexualy would be a cidg factor, but he also suggted that the groundbreakg nature of the move would make difficult for the Rams to drop him. "[Everythg's] gog to be cid on his abily to help the team w, but I don't thk the Rams beme the first team ever to draft an openly gay player jt to be the first team to cut an openly player, " Zeigler told ATC host Melissa Block.