Michael Sam facts for kids
Sam holding a souvenir rock from the rock 'M' at Memorial Stadium after a win against Texas A&M
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| Panthers Wrocław | |
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| Position: | Assistant defensive line coach |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | January 7, 1990 Galveston, Texas, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight: | 261 lb (118 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Hitchcock (Hitchcock, Texas) |
| College: | Missouri (2009–2013) |
| NFL Draft: | 2014 / Round: 7 / Pick: 249 |
| Career history | |
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| As coach: | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Player stats at PFR | |
| Player stats at CFL.ca (archive) | |
Michael Alan Sam Jr. (born January 7, 1990) is an American former professional football player. He was a defensive lineman and is now a coach for the Panthers Wrocław in the European League of Football (ELF). Sam played college football for the Missouri Tigers. He was chosen by the St. Louis Rams in the 2014 National Football League (NFL) draft. He also played one game for the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Sam was a top college player, earning unanimous All-American honors. He was also named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. After college, Sam made history by becoming the first openly gay player to be drafted into the NFL. The Rams later released him, and he spent time with the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad. He then signed with Montreal and became the first openly gay player to play in a CFL regular-season game.
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Michael Sam's Early Life and Football Start
Growing Up in Hitchcock, Texas
Michael Sam grew up in Hitchcock, Texas. He went to Hitchcock High School. Even in eighth grade, he started traveling with the school's varsity football team. He helped out as a water boy.
High School Football Achievements
Later, Sam joined the team as a player. He played both defensive end and offensive tackle. He was recognized as a first-team All-District defensive lineman all four years. In his junior and senior years, he also earned honors as an offensive lineman.
As a senior, Sam played very well against Michael Brockers. Brockers was an All-American player who had a scholarship to Louisiana State University. Sam's strong performance caught a lot of attention.
Choosing a College Team
After high school, experts like Rivals.com thought Sam was a two-star college football recruit. He received scholarship offers from several universities. These included Arizona State University, Colorado State University, and the University of Houston. Sam really wanted to go to Texas A&M University and waited for their offer.
Michael Sam's College Football Career
Playing for the Missouri Tigers
Sam accepted a scholarship from the University of Missouri (Mizzou). He was recruited by Craig Kuligowski, Mizzou's defensive line coach. Kuligowski knew Sam from recruiting other players nearby. Sam attended Mizzou from 2009 to 2013. He played for the Tigers in the Big 12 Conference.
First Years at Mizzou
In his first year, Sam was redshirted. This means he practiced but did not play in games. As a redshirt freshman, he recorded 3.5 quarterback sacks. He also had 24 tackles, including seven tackles for loss. He forced two forced fumbles, made one interception, and blocked one kick.
In his second year, Sam intercepted a tipped pass against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. This play helped Mizzou win and become eligible for a bowl game. In 2012, Mizzou moved to the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Sam had 3.5 sacks while starting in nine games.
Senior Year Success in 2013
As a senior in 2013, Sam had an amazing season. He recorded 11.5 quarterback sacks and 19 tackles for a loss. He led the SEC in both these categories. He also tied Missouri's record for sacks in a single season.
Sam was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week two weeks in a row. He had three sacks in games against the Arkansas State Red Wolves and the Vanderbilt Commodores. After the season, he was named the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year. He shared this honor with C. J. Mosley of the University of Alabama. He was also a first-team all-SEC selection.
National Recognition and Bowl Game
Sam was named a first-team All-American by several groups. These included the Walter Camp Football Foundation and the Associated Press. He was also a semifinalist for major awards like the Chuck Bednarik Award.
Missouri played in the 2014 Cotton Bowl Classic. Sam forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. This helped Missouri win against the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
College Career Totals
During his college career, Sam made 123 tackles. This included 36 tackles for loss and 21 sacks. He also forced six fumbles and intercepted two passes. He graduated from Missouri in December 2013.
He played in the 2014 Senior Bowl in January 2014. He was considered too small for a defensive end in the NFL. So, he played as an outside linebacker but found it challenging.
Michael Sam's Professional Football Career
Before the NFL Draft
Early predictions suggested Sam would be chosen in the third or fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft. However, his performance at the NFL Scouting Combine in February 2014 was not as strong as hoped. This lowered expectations for where he would be drafted. Some thought he was too small for defensive end and too slow for outside linebacker.
He showed improvement at a public workout a month later. Still, his rankings among defensive ends varied widely. In the 2013 draft, 33 defensive ends were picked.
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
261 lb (118 kg) |
33+3⁄8 in (0.85 m) |
9+3⁄8 in (0.24 m) |
4.91 s | 1.74 s | 2.85 s | 4.70 s | 7.80 s | 25.5 in (0.65 m) |
9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) |
19 reps | |
| All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day | ||||||||||||
Time with the St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams drafted Sam in the seventh round. He was the 249th player chosen out of 256 in the 2014 draft. He made history as the first openly gay player drafted into the NFL. President Barack Obama congratulated Sam, the Rams, and the NFL. He said it was an important step forward for the nation.
Sam's Rams jerseys became very popular. They were the second best-selling rookie jerseys on the NFL's website. Only Johnny Manziel's jersey sold more. From April to July, Sam's jersey was the sixth best-selling among all NFL players.
Sam played his first professional game on August 8, 2014. It was a preseason game against the New Orleans Saints. He made one tackle in that game. In his second preseason game, he got his first professional sack against the Green Bay Packers. He also sacked Johnny Manziel in a game against the Cleveland Browns.
In four preseason games, Sam had 11 tackles and 3 sacks. He led the team with 6 tackles in the final game. Rams coach Jeff Fisher believed Sam could play in the league. However, on August 30, the Rams released Sam. This was part of the final cuts to get the roster down to 53 players. The Rams kept nine defensive linemen. They chose to keep an undrafted rookie named Ethan Westbrooks instead of Sam. Westbrooks could play all four defensive line positions, while Sam mostly played left defensive end.
Out of 41 players picked in the seventh round of the 2014 draft, only 22 made the initial 53-man rosters. The Rams decided not to add Sam to their practice squad.
Joining the Dallas Cowboys
On September 3, 2014, Sam was added to the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad. On October 21, the Cowboys released Sam. This made room for linebacker Troy Davis.
NFL Veteran Combine
Sam took part in the first ever NFL Veteran Combine. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.99 seconds.
Playing for the Montreal Alouettes
On May 22, 2015, Sam signed a two-year contract with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. This made him the first openly gay player in that league's history.
On June 12, Sam was allowed to leave camp for "personal reasons." He returned home to Texas and was placed on the suspended list. The reason for his departure was not made public. On June 26, the team announced Sam had returned. He started practicing with the team again on June 30.
After missing the first five games, Sam made his CFL debut on August 7, 2015. This made him the first openly gay player to play in a CFL regular season game. He did not record a tackle in that game. Sam missed the next game due to a sore back. He left the team the next day, citing concerns about his mental health. He described the past year as "difficult." Montreal again placed him on their suspended list. After leaving Montreal, Sam said on "Dan Patrick" that he never really wanted to play in the CFL.
Taking a Break from Football
On August 14, 2015, Sam announced on Twitter that he was stepping away from professional football. He said it was for mental health reasons. He was out of football for seven years. During this time, he shared his experiences as an author and motivational speaker.
Michael Sam's Coaching Career
Coaching the Barcelona Dragons
On April 10, 2022, it was announced that Sam was hired as the assistant defensive line coach for the Barcelona Dragons. This team plays in the European League of Football.
On June 1, the team announced that Sam had also signed as a player. He started as a defensive lineman in the team's first game on June 5.
Coaching the Panthers Wrocław
On February 25, 2024, it was announced that Sam was hired as the assistant defensive line coach for the Panthers Wrocław. This team also plays in the European League of Football.
Michael Sam's Personal Life and Impact
Michael Sam is the seventh of eight children. His parents separated when he was young. Sam is the first person in his family to attend college.
In August 2013, Sam told his Missouri teammates that he was gay. They were very supportive. His decision to share his story publicly was a big moment in sports.
After being drafted by the Rams, Sam's emotional reaction was shown live on TV. He kissed his boyfriend, Vito Cammisano. Cammisano also went to the University of Missouri and was on the swim team. In January 2015, Sam and Cammisano announced they were engaged. However, they ended their relationship in June 2015 but remained friends.
In April 2016, Sam spoke with advocacy groups at the Missouri State Capitol. He spoke against a bill and talked to state legislators.
Dancing with the Stars
On February 24, 2015, Sam was announced as a celebrity contestant on the 20th season of Dancing with the Stars. He danced with professional dancer Peta Murgatroyd. They were eliminated in the fourth week of the competition. They finished in tenth place.
Honors and Awards
Sam received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2014 ESPY Awards. He was also named one of GQ's Men of the Year. He was a finalist for Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year.
Images for kids
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Members of a group protesting Sam and the University of Missouri.
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Students supporting Sam formed a "human wall" in front of the protesters.
See also
In Spanish: Michael Sam para niños
- Homosexuality in American football
- List of LGBT sportspeople
