First openly gay NFL payer steps away from the game for 'mental-health reasons'

Michael Sam is stepping away from professional
football.
Sam, the first openly gay player drafted by the NFL,
has told the Canadian Football League's Montreal
Alouettes that he is leaving the team.
'The last 12 months have been very difficult for me,
to the point where I became concerned with my
mental health,' Sam tweeted on Friday. 'Because of
this I am going to step away from the game at this
time.'
The Alouettes confirmed in a release that Sam has
left the club for 'personal reasons' and that he has
been added to the team's suspended list.
He did not play in Montreal's home loss to
Edmonton on Thursday night, with the team citing a
sore back.

The 25-year-old defensive end, the 2013

Southeastern Conference defensive player of the

year at University of Missouri, failed to record a

tackle in Montreal's loss to Ottawa.

Sam agreed to a two-year deal with the Alouettes

this summer. He left training camp June 12, citing

personal reasons, and sat out the team's first five

games.

Sam was selected in the seventh round of the 2014

NFL draft by the Rams, did not make the team, and

spent some time on the Cowboys' practice squad

before being released.

Daily Mail

Categories: