Before Carl Nassib, Michael Sam was the NFL’s first openly gay draft pick - The Washgton Post

Contents:

• BEFORE CARL NASSIB, MICHAEL SAM WAS THE NFL’S FIRST OPENLY GAY DRAFT PICK. HE NEVER PLAYED A REGULAR SEASON GAME.
• CARL NASSIB, THE FIRST OPENLY GAY N.F.L. PLAYER, HAS BEEN A FOOTBALL EVERYMAN
• MICHAEL SAM, FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER, RETIR FOR MENTAL HEALTH REASONS
• MICHAEL SAM IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY FOOTBALL PLAYER DRAFTED INTO THE NFL (VIDEO)
• MICHAEL SAM (RAMS, PICK NO. 249) IS FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER DRAFTED
• RAMS CUT MICHAEL SAM, FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER DRAFTED
• JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH COACH COM OUT AS GAY IN A FIRST FOR U.S.-BASED PRO LEAGU
• JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS' KEV MAXEN FIRST MALE PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY
• CARL NASSIB OUT AS 1ST OPENLY GAY ACTIVE NFL PLAYER

BEFORE CARL NASSIB, MICHAEL SAM WAS THE NFL’S FIRST OPENLY GAY DRAFT PICK. HE NEVER PLAYED A REGULAR SEASON GAME.

Seven years before Las Vegas Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib beme the first active NFL player to e out as gay on Monday, an all-Amerin om the Universy of Missouri risked a promisg reer wh a public claratn.

“I am an openly proud gay man, ” Michael Sam, a 24-year-old fensive end, told ESPN and the New York Tim Febary announcement followed a surprisg 12-2 season for Missouri, which won the SEC East and then the Cotton Bowl as Sam was named the SEC fensive player of the year. On Tuday, Sam thanked Nassib for jog the ranks of LGBTQ football players, payg special tribute to the donatn Nassib ma to the Trevor Project, a nonprof foced on suici Vegas Rairs fensive end Carl Nassib announced June 21 on Instagram that he is gay, makg him the first active NFL player to e out. The NFL particular had faced cricism for allegedly askg prospects about their sexual orientatn and had been acced of hamperg players who spoke out favor of gay many profsnal athlet around the world, cludg several retired NFL players, had e out by 2014, no one who was still playg football had dared to make that move before story rurfaced on Monday when the 28-year-old Nassib, who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns 2016 and now plays for the Rairs, announced that he is gay a vio on Instagram.

CARL NASSIB, THE FIRST OPENLY GAY N.F.L. PLAYER, HAS BEEN A FOOTBALL EVERYMAN

“Here’s the tth: Everyone ow Michael Sam such a b of gratu, ” Wa Davis, a former NFL rnerback who me out as gay 2012, told The Washgton Post on Monday. He wasn’t the only gay man who stggled to fd a place the NFL after g retired NFL players have publicly intified as gay, begng wh Dave Kopay, who me out 1975, three years after leavg the sport. AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTCarl Nassib, the First Openly Gay N.

MICHAEL SAM, FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER, RETIR FOR MENTAL HEALTH REASONS

He om a football fay, was a standout at Penn State and has tght his teammat about personal Miller/Getty ImagPublished June 22, 2021Updated June 25, 2021Las Vegas Rairs fensive leman Carl Nassib walked outsi his home Wt Chter, Pa., looked directly to his phone and did somethg that he said he hoped would one day no longer be a few brief sentenc, the 28-year-old Nassib me out as gay.

MICHAEL SAM IS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY FOOTBALL PLAYER DRAFTED INTO THE NFL (VIDEO)

Conversatns wh iends and fay ma possible, he said, for him to publicly say that he is gay.

ViotranscripttranscriptCarl Nassib Be First Openly Gay Active N. I jt want to take a quick moment to say that I’m gay. L., his ach and his peers the league for their rpect and acceptance, and acknowledged that many gay people before him did not receive that same support.

Player Jason Colls, who beme the first openly gay male athlete 2013.

MICHAEL SAM (RAMS, PICK NO. 249) IS FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER DRAFTED

Michael Sam, who 2014 beme the first openly gay player to be drafted by an NFL team, announced on Twter Friday eveng that he is walkg away om football for mental health reasons. After he failed to fd a al wh an NFL team, Sam signed wh the Montreal Alouett of the Canadian Football League, at which pot he beme the CFL's first openly gay player.

7, he beme the first openly gay player to play a regular season CFL game, though he did not register any tackl or sacks his appearanc.

RAMS CUT MICHAEL SAM, FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER DRAFTED

The first-team All-Amerin fensive leman om the Universy of Missouri beme the first openly gay player ever drafted to the NFL when the St. (STORY CONTINUES BELOW)WATCH: Michael Sam Reacts To Beg Drafted By The RamsThe 24-year-old om Hchck, Texas announced that he was gay Febary terviews wh The New York Tim and ESPN. Clearly teams are worried about the fact a gay player terrifi them...

— Benny Cunngham (@BennyCunngham) May 10, 2014Sam's tone selectn the NFL draft was the latt historic moment for a gay athlete.

JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH COACH COM OUT AS GAY IN A FIRST FOR U.S.-BASED PRO LEAGU

In Febary, Brooklyn Nets center Jason Colls beme the first openly gay player NBA history.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS' KEV MAXEN FIRST MALE PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY

In May 2013, Los Angel Galaxy midfielr Robbie Rogers beme the first openly gay player MLS history. In 2014, Sam uld bee the first openly gay athlete to play an NFL game. He's tackled stereotyp and jos the ranks of athletic trailblazers like Jason Colls and Brtney Grer showg Amerins that there's no place for homophobia on the field.

As support for equaly ntu to surge, 's clear that sports fans are ready, football is ready, and Ameri is ready for s first openly gay NFL player. Related gay athlet2014 nfl draftNFL Draftsportsnfl-draft-2014Before You GoPopular the CommunyYou May Like. NEW YORK -- In the leadup to the NFL Draft, former Missouri fensive end Michael Sam was one of the most well-known fensive players out there after he beme the first openly gay NFL prospect.

CARL NASSIB OUT AS 1ST OPENLY GAY ACTIVE NFL PLAYER

Though he ma huge headl when he announced that he was gay the leadup to the draft, Sam was never really thought of as more than a late-round pick and/or a potential undrafted ee agent.

Hearg the #NFLDraft is beg shown at gay bars everywhere. Louis Rams have cut Michael Sam, the first openly gay player drafted by an NFL team.