[ot-caption title=”Missouri senior defensive lineman, Michael Sam, speaks to the media during an NCAA college football news conference in Irving, Texas. Sam says he is gay, and he could become the first openly homosexual player in the NFL. (via AP Photo/Brandon Wade, File)” url=”https://pcpawprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/sam.jpg”]

Just days ago on September 3^rd, Michael Sam, former SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year, was signed to the practice squad of the Dallas Cowboys.  Although Sam is a 7^th round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, this news has not gone unnoticed by many sports fans, as Sam is the first openly gay NFL player. While Sam had been successful in his collegiate career at the University of Missouri, his name began to appear frequently in the news when he came out before the draft.

Considered a 3^rd to 4^th round draft pick, Sam slid all the way to the 7^th round; many believe that teams did not want the publicity of the situation in their locker rooms. Eventually, Sam was drafted 249^th overall out of 256 players by the Saint Louis Rams.  However, after opting to add depth to other positions on the field, Sam was cut from the team.  Many wondered if he would be given another shot at making a practice squad. Soon enough, Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys (and whom many consider to be the NFL’s flashiest owner), decided to sign Sam to the practice squad.

According to multiple reports, the NFL had been contacting many teams to see if Sam could possibly fit on a roster. Jones, however, denies any contact with the NFL. “He has a long way to go,” Jones says, but maintains that he is “in a good place.” Adds Jones, “In this league, if someone has a knack no matter if they don’t have the measurables or what have you, and they can cause the passer to not only get him down but hurry him up, then they’re valuable. And that’s what we’re looking for.” The Cowboys hope to have added a quality player to their defense, which ranked dead last in the entire league last year.

Sources: CBS Sports, ESPN