Michael Sam says coming out as gay derailed his NFL career
Last month’s Attitude cover star and first openly gay man ever drafted by an NFL team, Michael Sam, says coming out as gay derailed his US football career.
“I think if I never would have came out, never would have said those words to the public, I would still be currently in the NFL,” the 26-year-old said this week in an interview with Edge of Sports.
“But because of me saying those words, I think it could have played a huge part in my current situation.”
After coming out as publicly as gay in 2014, Sam was drafted by the St Louis Rams the same year, before being dropped from the squad and late signing with Canada’s Montreal Alouettes, which he left voluntarily last year.
While Sam insisted he doesn’t “regret” coming out, he believes it may have played a role in why he failed to be make the starting line-up of a NFL team, adding that the league should “do more” for LGBT rights.
“I don’t know what goes on in the NFL with the guys who are making the decisions, but whatever it is, hopefully it’s not what I think it is,” he said.
When asked about homophobia in the National Football League, Michael said he never experienced it directly, but added pointedly: “There is no reason why I shouldn’t be in the NFL, I’ve proved myself again and again, so I have no idea.”
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