Michael Sam Comes Out As Gay Months Before 2014 NFL Draft

by UInterviewFebruary 10, 2014, 12:00 amNews >

Michael Sam came out as gay in an interview with ESPN and The New York Times just months before he could be selected in the 2014 NFL draft in May.

Michael Sam Could Become First Openly Gay Player In NFL

Sam, a senior defensive lineman for the University of Missouri and an All-American, is expected to be in high demand come May. Should he be drafted, he will become the first openly gay professional football player in NFL history.

Sam, however, says that while he understands how historic his move to the NFL could be, he does not want to be remembered as “the gay athlete.” Instead, he would like to be judged as an athlete just like any other, especially going into the NFL draft. When asked about his potential place in history as the first openly gay player in the NFL, Sam replied that he doesn’t see himself that way.

“I don’t really look at it like that, I’m just Michael Sam and I’m a football player. I want to be a football player in the NFL. I understand how big this is, because it’s a big deal. No one has done this before. And it’s kind of a nervous process, but I know what I want to be. I want to be a football player in the NFL,” Sam told ESPN.

Sam first came out to his teammates in August, and reveals that most of them were far from surprised by Sam’s announcement:

“I was kind of scared, even though they already knew, but I was still scared of telling them. Just to see their reaction was awesome. They supported me from day one. I couldn’t have better teammates. I’m telling you what: I wouldn’t have the strength to do this today if I didn’t know how much support they’d given me this past semester.”

Sam revealed he has known for quite some time that he was gay, but didn’t feel the need to come out until last year, after he had the time to truly explore his identity. He came out to his parents last week, and says they too were not surprised.

“I told my mom and dad last week, and they just pretty much said, ‘We knew and we love you and support you.’ I’m their baby boy. I’m the first to go to college. I’m the first to graduate college. Something like this is just another milestone,” Sam said.

Sam did not forbid his teammates from telling other people about his sexual orientation; it was not a secret. Sam says that most of the NFL scouts already knew that he is gay, and his coming out is not specifically aimed at the NFL. Rather, Sam says he only just realized how many people, and media outlets, knew that he is gay, and he didn’t want anybody else to make his sexual orientation public other than himself.

“All the scouts knew, because all my teammates knew, and I didn’t know how many media knew. I wanted to own my truth,” Sam said.

Sam’s sexual orientation was hardly a secret on campus. Former teammate, Donovan Bonner, told Sports Illustrated that Sam being gay did not affect the team in the slightest.

“He’s a cool dude. He’s a great football player. After a while, it’s just a normal thing to everybody in our facility…honestly, we just forgot about it,” Bonner said.

Despite the popularity of his story, Sam says he has one focus: to train for the NFL draft. To Sam, his sexual orientation should not be a big story, just as it would not be considered a big story if a football player came out as straight.

“I know what my focus is: It’s training for the NFL. Everyone else can blow this out of proportion, but I’m not,” he said in an interview with Sports Illustrated following his announcement.

NFL Releases Statement Of Support

Gary Pinkel, the head football coach at University of Missouri released a statement praising Sam and supporting his decision to come out to the general public.

“Michael is a great example of just how important it is to be respectful of others, he’s taught a lot of people here first-hand that it doesn’t matter what your background is, or your personal orientation, we’re all on the same team and we all support each other,” Pinkel said.

The NFL also released a statement on Sunday lending their support to Sam, saying, “We admire Michael Sam’s honesty and courage. Michael is a football player. Any player with ability and determination can succeed in the NFL. We look forward to welcoming and supporting Michael Sam in 2014.”

Will Sam’s Announcement Hurt Him In NFL Draft?

Sam hopes that people will be able to separate his sexual orientation from his ability to be a professional football player, especially his potential teammates:

“If you’ve ever been in a Division 1 or pro locker room, it’s a business place. You want to act professional. I mean, people will talk about the stereotype of gays being in the locker room. To me, I think that it’s a little stereotyped that gay people are predators. It’s just very offensive,” Sam told ESPN.

The stereotype, however, still has a tight hold on NFL culture and Sam’s announcement may have already hurt his chances in the NFL draft, where he had been projected to end up a third to seven round pick. According to SI.com, many NFL sources appear certain that Sam’s status as an openly gay man will cause him to drop in the draft, but just how much remains unknown.

“I just know with this going on this is going to drop him down. There’s no question about it. It’s human nature, Do you want to be the team to quote-unquote ‘break that barrier?’” said an NFL scout.

– Olivia Truffaut-Wong

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