He recently came out to the world as the first openly gay player in college football. Now, after being drafted by the St. Louis Rams, Michael Sam will be the first openly gay football player in the NFL.
Among other things, President Obama congratulated Sam saying, “From the playing field to the corporate boardroom, LGBT Americans prove everyday that you should be judged by what you do and not who you are.” He also congratulated the NFL and the St. Louis Rams, the team that drafted Sam.
Sam, an All-American defensive end who played for the University of Missouri, made history when he was picked by the Rams in the seventh and final round. He was the 249th of 256 players selected.
The 24-year-old got the news by telephone from Rams’ coach Jeff Fisher, who told Sam: “You are a Ram. The wait is finally over.”
