The day when the National Football League (NFL) has an out gay player just got a little closer.
Defensive end Michael Sam, of the Missouri All-Americans, announced Feb 9 that he is gay. “I am an openly, proud gay man,” said Sam, who is projected to be picked in the early rounds of the NFL draft, according to the The New York Times.
Sam had earlier told reporters that his Missouri teammates and coaches have known about his sexuality since last summer.
“It’s a big deal. No one has done this before. And it’s kind of a nervous process,” Sam, 24, told reporters.
Sam may have reason to be nervous. New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma recently told the NFL Network that he would be worried about a gay teammate looking at him in the locker room shower. “I think he would not be accepted as much as we think he would accepted,” Vilma said.
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