College football star Michael Sam has made history as the United States' National Football League’s first openly gay player, Democracy Now! said on May 12. The St Louis Rams picked Sam in the final round of the NFL draft, months after he publicly came out.
Sam was a first-team, All-American and the Southeastern Conference’s defensive player for the year as a lineman for the University of Missouri. Sam broke into tears as he took the call informing him of his draft selection. The sports network ESPN showed footage of him kissing his boyfriend in celebration.
Democracy Now! said on May 14 that at a news conference with his new team, Sam was asked to offer advice in light of the obstacles he faced to coming out. Sam said: “It’s OK to be who you are, whether you’re gay, straight, black or white. It’s OK to be comfortable in your own skin.”