Michael Sam, the first openly gay
football player to be drafted by the NFL, has said his teammates
respect him as a human being.
The 24-year-old All-American defensive
end from Missouri was picked in the final round of the NFL draft and
faces a steep incline to make the St. Louis Rams.
Sam said Friday he's had no issues
fitting in with his teammates.
“They respect me as a human being,”
he
said. “And as a football player.”
Defensive end Chris Long, a former
first-round pick, said none of the players care that Sam is gay.
“Only the media cares,” he said.
“The players don't care, we just care about what kind of football
player you are.”
“We got a steal in whatever round we
took him in,” Long added.
Rookie Aaron Donald called Sam “a
cool guy.”