Rams Make NFL History

Reid Riccordella|May 14, 2014

The Rams made history when they selected Michael Sam Saturday afternoon with the 249th pick in the 2014 NFL draft, making him the first openly gay football player to be drafted into the NFL.

It was unsure if the former Missouri defensive end would get drafted even though he was the SEC defensive player of the year this past season. This has nothing to do with his sexual orientation say scouts, but rather his awkward frame compared to the prototypical NFL defensive end, a poor combine and workouts, poor senior bowl performance and a lacking of athleticism.

Sam now seeks to be the first openly gay player to ever PLAY in the NFL. As a seventh round pick it won’t be easy, but his high motor and dedication to the game makes him a candidate for a special team slot on the final 53 man roster.

Video of Sam receiving the call from the Rams and Head Coach Jeff Fisher revealed the player’s emotion and relief as he saw his dream come true.

“Can Michael Sam play football? Yes, I can, and the St. Louis Rams know I can. I am going to give everything I’ve got to the St. Louis Rams to help the Rams win a championship.” Said Sam at his press conference, “The moment my name was called was the single greatest moment of my life.” He added.

Everyone was talking about the pick as almost instantaneity Michael Sam starting trending on twitter. Even the White House released a statement expressing congratulations from President Obama:

“The President congratulates Michael Sam, the Rams and the NFL for taking an important step forward today in our Nation’s journey,” the statement, which a White House official emailed to ABC News, read. “From the playing field to the corporate boardroom, LGBT Americans prove every day that you should be judged by what you do and not who you are.”

Going into the draft, only a certain amount of teams seemed like they would be able to handle the Michael Sam situation and everything that would come with it. St. Louis was one of those places; with St. Louis being only 125 miles away from Sam’s college home in Columbia, Missouri.