It takes a lot of courage to tell the world who you are, especially in the sports world. Michael Sam, who is a defensive lineman for the Missouri Tigers, came out when he realized many people already knew and he wanted to be the one to tell his story.
According to ABC News, his teammates and coaches found out about his sexuality in August and it wasn’t until recently, Sam decided he needed to come out.
In an interview with ESPN, Sam stated, “I want to own my truth…no one else should tell my story but me.” This is after realizing at the Senior Bowl that people seemed to know about him and he didn’t want any leaks to occur in the press.
When Sam came out to his teammates, he was met with support and blessings.
The New York Times writes that Sam may be the first openly gay football player in the NFL. In an interview with the New York Times, Sam stated that when he told his teammates, “they just started shaking their heads- like, finally, he came out.”
Sam was named defensive player of the year at the Southeastern Conference league and was also voted most valuable player by his teammates.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
