He may be the first, but he surely won’t be the last.
University of Missouri defensive end and National Football League draft prospect Michael Sam recently added his name to a list of professional athletes who identify as gay. Assuming he’s drafted and signed to a team’s roster this spring and summer, he’ll become the first openly gay player in the NFL.
While his teammates at Missouri knew, it still had to be difficult for Sam to come out to the world. He has to have a lot on his mind with, well, his career riding on the upcoming NFL Combine and the draft soon after.
But that’s just it. The way he came out and said he was gay showed courage and bravery, two traits that football players must possess to succeed in the sport.
And that’s exactly why he was accepted at Missouri and why he’ll be accepted in the NFL.
It’s a daunting task that Sam has taken for himself, one that will be criticized by some but praised by others. But during the course of the past season, he has demonstrated that he has the character and qualities necessary to succeed both in both the on-field and off-field aspects of professional football.
It took a whole lot of bravery for Sam to come out to his team last summer. Not only did Missouri embrace him, but the team shared enough chemistry to win the Southeastern Conference East Division title and a victory in the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic.
Sam took that to another level, earning All-American honors and being named SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
Through the way he plays, Sam shows that he’s fearless, and truthfully, not scared of anything. His Missouri teammates viewed him as a fierce player and an even stronger leader. Sam’s not afraid that NFL players, coaches or other personnel might treat him differently during his career otherwise he wouldn’t have made the announcement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFIjXBjsLHs
Sam isn’t doing this for attention — he already has notoriety from his play. Instead, it allows him to feel more comfortable being around his teammates and promotes a heightened level of chemistry in the locker room.
Talk about being courageous. While not all football teammates may like one another, there’s generally a level of respect amongst them. Sam’s announcements both to his team and the world show that he deserves respect from his future teammates.
The on-field aspects are taken care of, so it’s the little things like respect and camaraderie that Sam might face struggles with. Sports Illustrated spoke to some NFL assistant coaches and front office workers who said Sam’s announcement wasn’t necessarily the right thing to do.
https://twitter.com/ericuman/status/432694377295904768
But, those aren’t players speaking. The dynamics of how a locker room works are understood best by the players. Many NFL players sent out support to Sam via Twitter, with a number of retired players acknowledging he’s not the first gay man to play the sport.
https://twitter.com/DeionSanders/status/432714275610574848
If the players support him, what else matters?
But before the players are able to accept Sam, a general manager and owner have to make the decision to draft and sign him to the roster. It takes just a bit of bravery, something that Sam will make up by his play.
Bravery, something that Sam possesses.
One of these days, this won't be major news. The GMs can think what they want. The cowardly fan can think what he or she wants.
But NFL players recognize character and courage when they see it. Michael Sam has both of those things, and will fit right in when he first sets foot in the locker room.