Tolerance is about to be tested in the National Football League.
And Michael Sam hopes his ability is all that matters, not his sexual orientation.
Missouri’s
All-America defensive end came out to the entire country Sunday night
and could become the first openly gay player in America’s most popular
sport.
"I just want to go to the team who drafts me," Sam told
ESPN in an interview that aired Sunday, "because that team knows about
me, knows that I’m gay, and also knows that I work hard. That’s the team
I want to go to."
Nobody has ever done this before.
In
interviews with ESPN, The New York Times and Outsports, Sam said
publicly for the first time that he was gay. He said he came out to his
teammates and coaches at Missouri in August.
Sam will participate in the NFL combine later this month in Indianapolis and is projected to be a
mid-round draft pick in May.
"Hopefully
it will be the same like my locker room," he told ESPN. "It’s a
workplace. If you’ve ever been in a Division I or pro locker room, it’s a
business place. You want to act professional."
Sam received much public support Sunday night from people throughout the world of sports.
"I
can’t wait to cheer for whatever lucky team that drafts
@MikeSamFootball. Personally I hope he goes to my favorite team. The
@Colts" tweeted Jason Collins, the pro basketball player who said
publicly last season that he is gay.
There also were words of caution.
Offensive
lineman Frank Garcia, who played nine seasons (1995-2003) in the NFL
with the Panthers, Rams and Cardinals, said Sam could face "huge
challenges" in the league.
Garcia was teammates and good friends
with defensive lineman Esera Tuaolo, who announced he was gay on HBO’s
Real Sports in 2002 — three years after he left the NFL.
Garcia
said although he and Tuaolo regularly hung out as teammates in Carolina
in 1999, Tuaolo never once let on that he was gay.
"I think a lot
of guys in the NFL are going to say they will accept it, but there are a
lot of guys who won’t," said Garcia, now a sports radio show host with
WFNZ-AM in Charlotte. "The reality is Michael Sam is going to open
himself up to a lot of criticism and a lot of challenges. Those are
challenges most gay people have to go through, but when you are dealing
with alpha males and some meatheads in an NFL locker room it’s
amplified. And there are some guys who have strong religious beliefs,
too, so he’s going to be judged. He’s going to face some things that are
going to be very difficult to overcome."
The 6-foot-2, 255-pound
Sam participated in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., last month after
leading the Southeastern Conference in sacks (11.5) and tackles for loss
(19). He was the SEC defensive player of the year.
There have been a few NFL players who have come out after their playing days, including Kwame Harris and
Dave Kopay.
Collins,
a 35-year-old backup center, came out after last season when he was a
free agent and was not signed this season. MLS star and U.S. national
team player Robbie Rogers also came out a year ago.
"His courage will inspire millions to live their truth," Rogers tweeted about Sam.
Division III Willamette kicker Conner Mertens, a redshirt freshman, said last month he was bisexual.
"We
admire Michael Sam’s honesty and courage," the NFL said in statement.
"Michael is a football player. Any player with ability and determination
can succeed in the NFL. We look forward to welcoming and supporting
Michael Sam in 2014."
Sam’s announcement comes at a time gay
rights and sports have collided at the Olympics in Sochi. Russia’s
anti-gay propaganda law has received much attention, and criticism,
because of the games.
"By rewriting the script for countless young
athletes, Michael has demonstrated the leadership that, along with his
impressive skills on the field, makes him a natural fit for the NFL,"
said Sarah Kate Ellis, president of GLAAD, a leading lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender advocacy organization. "With acceptance of LGBT
people rising across our coasts — in our schools, churches, and
workplaces — it’s clear that America is ready for an openly gay football
star."
The NFL’s sexual orientation, anti-discrimination and harassment policy states:
"Coaches,
General Managers and others responsible for interviewing and hiring
draft-eligible players and free agents must not seek information
concerning or make personnel decisions based on a player’s sexual
orientation. This includes asking questions during an interview that
suggest that the player’s sexual orientation will be a factor in the
decision to draft or sign him.
"Examples: Do you like women or men? How well do you do with the ladies? Do you have a
girlfriend?"
Carolina
Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams tweeted:
"I could care less
about a man’s sexual preference! i care about winning games and being
respectful in the locker room!"
Williams’ teammate, cornerback
Drayton Florence, posted on his Twitter account: "No comment but it can
be a distraction in the locker room. At least he’s open with it much
respect!"
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AP Sports Writer Steve Reed in Charlotte, N.C., contributed to this report.
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Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP
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