Former St. Louis Rams and Dallas Cowboys defensive end Michael Sam, who became the first openly gay NFL player this year, was ambushed by the gossip rag TMZ at the Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday morning.
And to say that Sam failed to remain quiet about the reason he’s no longer in the NFL after being cut from the Cowboys practice squad would be an understatement.
Sam had this to say to TMZ when asked whether the league was shying away from him because he’s openly gay.
I think I was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year last year … so I don’t think it had to do with talent.
Sam’s response is interesting to say the least. He was seen as a tweener prospect heading into the 2014 NFL draft because of an inability to play with his hands up from an outside linebacker position in a 3-4 scheme. This eliminated a good number of teams as contenders to draft Sam.
Seen as a late-round pick, Sam ended up getting picked by the Rams toward the end of the seventh round. After making a strong push for the 53-man roster in training camp, Sam was among the last cuts for the team. He then caught on with the Dallas Cowboys as a practice squad player before being released earlier in the year.
He’s currently a free agent.
Photo: USA Today