College Football Star Michael Sam: 'I'm an Openly, Proud Gay Man'

Contents:

• BEFORE CARL NASSIB, MICHAEL SAM WAS THE NFL’S FIRST OPENLY GAY DRAFT PICK. HE NEVER PLAYED A REGULAR SEASON GAME.
• MICHAEL SAM, FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER, RETIR FOR MENTAL HEALTH REASONS
• MISSOURI FOOTBALL STAR: “I'M AN OPENLY PROUD GAY MAN”
• MIZZOU'S MICHAEL SAM SAYS HE'S GAY
• MICHAEL SAM SAYS HE IS GAY: NFL PLAYERS REACT
• MISSOURI FOOTBALL PLAYER MICHAEL SAM SAYS HE IS GAY, AIMS TO BE FIRST PUBLICLY GAY PLAYER NFL
• NFL'S FIRST OPENLY GAY DRAFT PICK CELEBRATED BY KISSG HIS BOYIEND
• MISSOURI FENSIVE END MICHAEL SAM SAYS HE IS GAY
• THE 39 CURRENT NFL PLAYERS HAVE ALL PLAYED WH AN OUT GAY TEAMMATE
• MIZZOU'S MICHAEL SAM COULD BEE NFL'S 1ST OPENLY GAY PLAYER
• COLLEGE FOOTBALL STAR MICHAEL SAM: 'I'M AN OPENLY, PROUD GAY MAN'
• N.F.L. PROSPECT MICHAEL SAM PROUDLY SAYS WHAT TEAMMAT KNEW: HE’S GAY
• RAIRS’ CARL NASSIB ANNOUNC HE’S GAY, AN N.F.L. FIRST
• JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU

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.

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

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.

Back 2013, Michael Sam was a llege football sensatn who cid to e out as the only known gay profsnal football player at the time.

It was Augt of 2013 durg a team meetg, that Sam cid to announce to his llege teammat that he was gay.

MISSOURI FOOTBALL STAR: “I'M AN OPENLY PROUD GAY MAN”

The word of Sam's g out as a gay player soon ronated throughout sports general as he was the only active, openly gay player at the time. In the recent wake of Jon Gn's homophobic (among other thgs) rhetorics which were spewed a 2011 email that forced him to rign, was disvered that Gn ed the words "queer" and "faggot" to scribe Sam when the Rams drafted him back 2014 (for the rerd, Gn also scribed NFLPA executive director DeMrice Smh, who is Ain Amerin, as havg "lips the size of Michell [sic] tir.

Michael Sam, who 2014 beme the first openly gay player to be drafted by an NFL team, announced on Twter Friday eveng that he is walkg away om football for mental health reasons. After he failed to fd a al wh an NFL team, Sam signed wh the Montreal Alouett of the Canadian Football League, at which pot he beme the CFL's first openly gay player.

7, he beme the first openly gay player to play a regular season CFL game, though he did not register any tackl or sacks his appearanc.

MIZZOU'S MICHAEL SAM SAYS HE'S GAY

Missouri's All-Ameri fensive end me out to the entire untry Sunday night and uld bee the first openly gay player Ameri's most popular sport. "I jt want to go to the team who drafts me, " Sam told ESPN, "bee that team knows about me, knows that I'm gay, and also knows that I work hard.

In terviews wh ESPN, The New York Tim and Outsports, Sam said publicly for the first time that he was gay. The @Colts" tweeted Jason Colls, the pro basketball player who said publicly last season that he is gay.

MICHAEL SAM SAYS HE IS GAY: NFL PLAYERS REACT

Garcia was teammat and good iends wh fensive leman Esera Tuaolo, who announced he was gay on HBO's Real Sports 2002 — three years after he left the NFL.

Garcia said although he and Tuaolo regularly hung out as teammat Carola 1999, Tuaolo never once let on that he was gay. Those are challeng most gay people have to go through, but when you are alg wh alpha mal and some meatheads an NFL locker room 's amplified. "By rewrg the script for untls young athlet, Michael has monstrated the learship that, along wh his imprsive skills on the field, mak him a natural f for the NFL, " said Sarah Kate Ellis, print of GLAAD, a leadg lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr advocy anizatn.

MISSOURI FOOTBALL PLAYER MICHAEL SAM SAYS HE IS GAY, AIMS TO BE FIRST PUBLICLY GAY PLAYER NFL

"Wh acceptance of LGBT people risg across our asts — our schools, church, and workplac — 's clear that Ameri is ready for an openly gay football star. Michael Sam, an All-Amerin fensive leman om Missouri and the Associated Prs' SEC Defensive Player of the Year, said that he is gay an terview wh ESPN's "Outsi the L" on stated publicly what his teammat and ach at Mizzou have known sce Augt: "I am an openly, proud gay man. Assumg that he is drafted, Sam uld bee the first openly gay player the history of the NFL.

"In 2014, "Gay Man to Enter Workforce" has the everyday-occurrence sound of a headle The Onn.

"Sam had dner on Saturday wh Dave Kopay, a former NFL player who said he was gay 1975 -- three years after his playg reer Sunday night, the NFL released a statement supportg Sam. "Among other male pro athlet who have said they are gay, Jason Colls, a 12-year NBA veteran, me out a Sports Illtrated article at the end of the 2012-13 regular season, but has not played for a team sce.

NFL'S FIRST OPENLY GAY DRAFT PICK CELEBRATED BY KISSG HIS BOYIEND

"I jt want to go to the team who drafts me, " he said, "bee that team knows about me, knows that I'm gay, and also knows that I work hard. A llege football star, poised to bee an early NFL draft pick May, announced Sunday that he's gay and proud of . ""I am an openly, proud gay man, " Sam, 24, last year's Southeast Conference fensive player of the year, said terviews wh ESPN and the New York Tim.

Projected by some to be taken the early rounds of the NFL draft this summer, Sam would bee the first openly gay profsnal football sgs the Missouri fight song afetr the Tigers feat Indiana, 45-28. Sam's revelatn ls than a year after former New Jersey Nets basketball player Jason Colls announced he's gay a Sports Illtrated article. (GM Andrews/AP)Sam said he was nervo about g out, even though he was aware that many of his teammat and ach already assumed he was gay.

MISSOURI FENSIVE END MICHAEL SAM SAYS HE IS GAY

" Lookg to the NFL, Sam said, "I jt want to go to the team who drafts me bee that team knows about me, knows that I'm gay, and also knows that I work hard.

Michael Sam, the Universy of Missouri football player who me out as gay Febary, three months advance of the NFL draft, was drafted this eveng by the St. He reacted the way any athlete would: by kissg his signifint Sam—picked 249th overall, spe beg the SEC Defensive Player of the Year—mak the team, he will bee the Natnal Football League's first athlete to play while openly gay.

Missouri DE Michael Sam, a 2013 All-Amerin, revealed he was gay said he me to his teammat the summer of 2013 and said he wanted to discs his sexual orientatn publicly on his terms. “I looked their ey, and they jt started shakg their heads — like, fally, he me out, ” Sam told the said he's never had any problems wh teammat and said once he me out to his teammat that he knew who he was -- a Missouri football player who happens to be gay. Players have been ndid about havg gay teammat the past, even if no player has e out while playg before.

THE 39 CURRENT NFL PLAYERS HAVE ALL PLAYED WH AN OUT GAY TEAMMATE

A report two years ago suggted most NFL players wouldn't have any issue wh a gay teammate. May 10, 2014— -- The wa was long and wasn't what Michael Sam was expectg, but the end, the first openly gay player to be drafted the NFL said he was St.

Some people still believe that the NFL is a “homophobic” monolh where ’s “dangero” to be gay.

MIZZOU'S MICHAEL SAM COULD BEE NFL'S 1ST OPENLY GAY PLAYER

Dpe Outsports chroniclg lerally dozens of piec of evince to the ntrary, there’s a ntued belief amongst some that NFL players would overwhelmgly reject a gay player if he me out. So we set out to figure out how many current NFL players have already played on the same team wh an out gay teammate. We found 39 current NFL players, who were on a roster for the 2020 season, who have already had an out gay teammate.

The 39 current NFL players have played wh at least five gay or bisexual men who were out to their team while they were on the same team. At least six of the players on the Cardals’ 2020 roster — about 10% of the team, — has already had a gay teammate they knew of. Wh that experience, solid veteran learship, a ach Kliff Kgsbury who has ld gay football player Stt Frantz, and a ont office that has monstrated an embrace of LGBTQ people, is easy to make the se that an out gay player wh the Cardals would be weled.

The are the current NFL players to have played wh an out gay or bi man on their team (wh that team and their current team listed):. If you thk I’ve missed a current NFL player who’s played wh an out gay or bi teammate, be sure to leave the rmatn the ments below.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL STAR MICHAEL SAM: 'I'M AN OPENLY, PROUD GAY MAN'

Missouri's All-Amerin fensive end me out to the entire untry Sunday night and uld bee the first openly gay player Ameri's most popular sport. "I jt want to go to the team who drafts me, " Sam told ESPN an terview that aired Sunday, "bee that team knows about me, knows that I'm gay, and also knows that I work hard. Sam received much public support Sunday night om people throughout the world of sports, cludg Jason Colls, the NBA player who said publicly last season that he is gay.

But New Orleans Sats lebacker Jonathan Vilma said jt last week on the NFL Network that a gay player "would not be accepted as much as we thk he would be accepted. Suggs told WFAN rad Febary 2013 that a gay teammate would have no problem the Ravens locker room. A Universy of Missouri star projected to be drafted to the NFL looks set to bee the first publicly gay pro football fensive leman Michael Sam said he told his teammat and ach last year, “I’m gay, " acrdg to terviews wh The New York Tim and on ESPN's "Outsi the L" program on Sunday.

"I am an openly, proud gay man, " Sam told reunted tellg his teammat at Missouri at a preason practice.

N.F.L. PROSPECT MICHAEL SAM PROUDLY SAYS WHAT TEAMMAT KNEW: HE’S GAY

Louis Post-Dispatch via AP fileOther pro athlet who have said they are gay clu Jason Colls, a veteran of 12 NBA seasons who me out last year but has not played on a team sce. Robbie Rogers, a Major League Soccer midfielr wh the Los Angel Galaxy, also has said he was Sam would be the first active openly gay NFL told ESPN the trial ahead pal agast those he faced growg up Texas.

"Support for Sam’s public announcement me swiftly om several, a natnal lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr advocy group rpond to the news Sunday night. ”"Wh Michael Sam’s brave step, he embolns LGBT athlet and straight alli everywhere, ” add Hudson Taylor, the founr and executive director of Athlete Ally, a nonprof group foced on endg homophobia sports. However, Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers wi receiver Patrick Crayton posted on Twter that "a lot of players and execs will get asked about playg wh a gay guy and they are gog to have to lie about how they really feel.

Now-former Las Vegas Rairs head ach Jon Gn ed a homophobic term an email when referrg to the then-St. Louis Rams' cisn to select former Tiger star Michael Sam, an openly gay fensive end, the 2014 NFL Draft, USA Today email was one of many ma public after the New York Tim published a story on their ntents late plethora of emails me to light as part of a pletely separate vtigatn by NFL officials to workplace misnduct that did not directly volve Gn. Asi om mentng Sam, Gn also directed an anti-gay slur toward NFL Commissner Roger Gooll while nmng female refere the league and NFL players prottg durg the natnal rigned as head ach of the Rairs roughly an hour after the story's publitn.

RAIRS’ CARL NASSIB ANNOUNC HE’S GAY, AN N.F.L. FIRST

Gn was at the foreont of this nversatn this past summer, as Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib me out as the first openly gay active player the NFL last June. "More:Ex-NFL player Ryan O'Callaghan, who is openly gay, on Jon Gn: 'It's never OK' to e homophobic slursJeff Fisher weighs on Michael SamWhen the St. "I ntue to support Michael, and his cisn to e out as the first draft eligible openly gay player the league, " Fisher wrote on Twter.

It took urage to serve as a role mol for those petive football players who may also happen to be gay.

JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU

"2014 NFL DraftSam ma wav the sports world when he beme the first openly gay player to be drafted the NFL as the Rams picked him the seventh round Sam first me out, Sports Illtrated quoted multiple unnamed NFL sourc projectg that Sam’s announcement would e him to fall down draft boards. Some teams wouldn't want the “distractn” of rryg the league’s first openly gay player on their roster, an assistant ach said.