Michael Sam, who made history as the
first openly gay football player drafted by the NFL, told students on
Tuesday that coming out hurt his NFL career and that he now regrets
coming out so soon.
According to The
Albuquerque Journal, Sam spoke with students at the
University of New Mexico.
Sam came out to his University of
Missouri teammates in 2013, before his senior season. The following
year, he became the SEC co-defensive player of the year.
In 2014, Sam was drafted by the St.
Louis Rams but cut before the start of the season. He joined the
Dallas Cowboys' 10-man practice squad, where he stayed for seven
weeks before being let go. He never played a regular-season game in
the NFL. A brief stint playing for the Montreal Alouettes in the
Canadian Football League (CFL) ended with him citing “personal
reasons.”
“The NFL gave me a raw deal,” Sam
said. “It was tough to forgive them. I love football. Football
gave me an education and gave me the opportunity I so desperately
needed at the time. I really am grateful for the sport.”
Sam also told the students that he's
planning to write an autobiography.