Michael Sam, First Openly Gay Player In NFL, Refutes Claims He's Being Kept Out Of League For His Sexuality

Michael Sam – the first openly gay player to be drafted to the NFL – has refuted claims and "headlines" saying that the defensive linesman is being kept out of the NFL because of his sexuality. After being drafted in the seventh round by the St Louis Rams in this year's NFL draft, Sam was dropped by the Rams and then by Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys, but he says that he is looking forward to a chance to prove he belongs in the NFL. His former Missouri Tigers teammate, Marvin Foster, says Sam shouldn't have been cut.

After an interview with TMZ, which occured while Sam was waiting at LAX, was released yesterday, headlines sprung up around the world about Sam saying that it wasn't his talent that was keeping him out of the NFL.

"I think I was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year last year," Sam said after being questioned as to why he was no longer employed by an NFL team, and whether he could compete with pro-level players. "So I don't think it had to do with talent."

Sam later clarified his comments via Twitter, saying that "Despite what headline you may read, I never said and have never believed that I am being kept out of the league. I know I have talent to play in the NFL and I look forward to getting an opportunity once again to prove that I can help a team win."

Despite what headlines you may read, I've never said and have never believed that I am being kept out of the league (1/2)

— Michael Sam (@MichaelSamNFL) December 3, 2014

I know I have talent to play in the NFL and I look forward to getting an opportunity once again to prove that I can help a team win. (2/2)

— Michael Sam (@MichaelSamNFL) December 3, 2014

TMZ today also reported that Marvin Foster, who played alongside NFL players Sheldon Richardson and Aldon Smith at Missouri, said, "There's no way the Defensive Player of the Year in the SEC should be a free agent."

"The kid can play and I think he showed he can play," continued Foster. "He had three sacks in the pre-season. I don't know why they cut him."

After being drafted by the Rams, Sam was cut after preseason, and then landed on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad before being cut on Oct. 21.

"While this is disappointing, I will take the lessons I learned here in Dallas and continue to fight for an opportunity to prove that I can play every Sunday," he tweeted after being dropped by Dallas.

Sam publicly announced that he was gay ahead of the NFL draft, becoming the first openly gay athlete to be drafted to one of the USA's major four pro male sports.

It certainly sounds like Sam still believes he can make a comeback in the NFL, shrugging off suggestions in the TMZ interview that he'd do better if he were to go on to something else (like acting) and perhaps even aim to be in a superhero movie, saying, "I'm a football player; I play football." Here's hoping he gets another chance.