The man who made history as the first openly gay player to be drafted by an NFL team was taking a far more low-key approach when he was officially introduced Tuesday as the newest member of the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes.
'I’m just here to play football,' Sam said at a press conference. 'I’m not here to try to do anything historic.'
Sam made the comment after a reporter pointed out that Jackie Robinson played for a minor-league team in Montreal before going on to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball.
But Sam, who has been signed to a two-year deal, has made history as the CFL's first openly gay player and he has this message for Montreal's LGBTI community: 'If you're afraid of what your family and friends may think ... come to me. I'll be your family.'
No matter how low-key Sam may want to be, his openness about his sexuality has made him a pioneer in a sport well known in the past for its homophobia.
Sam had been on the cover of Sports Illustrated even before he was drafted by the St. Louis Rams a year ago and was quickly termed a distraction by some. That perception exacerbated by plans for a reality series planned by the Oprah Winfrey Network about Sam's first year in the pros.
Sam backed out of the show but was cut by the Rams at the end of the pre-season. He was then signed by the Dallas Cowboys but then dropped from its practice squad a month later.
Sam participated in the most recent season of ABC's Dancing With the Stars competition.
Back to the Closet we go!
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