Welcome to the NFL Michael Sam, We’re Ready for You
On Saturday May 10, 2014 history was made in North America when Michael Sam was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the 7th round of the NFL draft. With the 249th overall pick the Rams took the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and have added another young player to what has already been the youngest roster in the NFL for the last 2 seasons in a row.
If you’ve been living under a rock you know that this draft pick was more than just another Defensive End joining the league. Michael Sam has now become the first openly gay athlete to be drafted to the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS… etc. ever.
Note: 2013 WBNA 1st overall pick Brittney Griner told Sports Illustrated 2 days after the draft that she was already out of the closet, but had never made the information public until that point.
Michael Sam will now go to Rams training camp with the goal of joining the likes of Griner, Jason Collins, Robbie Rogers & Lori Lindsey as a gay athlete playing professionally in North America.
Sam’s draft slot had been debated since the day he came out of the closet. People wondered if teams would be scared to bring a gay athlete into the locker room. Fans and media wondered if the old boys club of GMs and owners would draft a gay player. Everyone wondered how the stereotypical macho Alpha male players of the NFL would respond to a gay player in their midst.
And for 6+ rounds and 248 picks, everyone kept wondering.
Among casual football fans there was probably an overhype of Sam’s draft stock after he came out. Yes, he earned and deserved the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year award. However, as a pro he may be undersized and his combine stats showed him to be a player that doesn’t fit the standard definition of a defensive lineman. Experts talked about Sam’s football ability keeping him on draft boards, but not in high rounds.
And on Saturday that’s what we saw.
Yes, it would have been amazing if a team had stepped up and taken Michael Sam in the first 3 rounds with a high pick and higher expectations. But at the end of the day these teams are tasked with making football decisions and drafting the best talent to fit their needs. Did some teams pass over Sam when they arguably should have picked him? Maybe. The important thing right now is that Michael Sam will be given a chance to prove that he belongs in the NFL, not because he’s a gay man. Not because he’s a trailblazer or a role model. Not because he deserves it. But because he’s earned it.
If you haven’t seen the video of Michael Sam being told on the phone that he is being drafted, watch it now. And if you haven’t seen the video of St. Louis Rams Head Coach, Jeff Fisher talking about the pick, watch that too.
Lastly, I’d like to wish Michael good luck in his pro career. No matter what position he plays, what team he plays for, or what his stats are. Go show the world that you’re a football player. That’s all we care about now.
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I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE, YOU CAN PLAY!
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