Did Michael Sam Play in the NFL?

Ten years ago, Michael Sam made history and headlines by coming out as the first openly gay NFL Draft prospect. A unanimous All-American at Missouri and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Sam was projected as a mid-round pick heading into the 2014 NFL Draft. So, on the eve of sharing his truth with the world, he spent time at a karaoke bar in West Hollywood — smiling, celebrating, and preparing to take a step no one else in his position had ever taken.

Hours later, Sam came out publicly, becoming possibly the biggest story in American sports at the time. But why break this news around the Draft?

As courageous as his decision was, Sam’s publicist, Howard Bragman, revealed back then that it was a strategic call to “announce it once, announce it well, and let Michael focus on his football.” And that’s exactly what Sam tried to do.

After being drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round, he played through the preseason but didn’t make the final roster. Life gave him another chance as he briefly joined the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad, but again, Sam failed to make a mark there before eventually moving to the CFL, where he flamed out as well.

Ultimately, Michael Sam never played in a regular-season NFL game — a barrier that would later be broken by Carl Nassib in 2021. That said, myths still persist about why Sam’s NFL career never took off. Some claim he was distracted by media attention or too focused on fame.

As per reports, Sam turned down countless interviews, stayed quiet during the draft process, and only considered entertainment gigs — like Dancing With the Stars — after it became clear no team was willing to sign him.

“If he had been Jadeveon Clowney and publicly out as gay, he would have played many seasons in the NFL,” one insider noted in a 2024 report on this topic.

While being gay wasn’t the only reason teams passed on him, it’s hard to deny that it was undeniably a factor. According to reports from 2014, coaches simply didn’t want to take the leap with Sam.

Some didn’t like the attention that would have come with signing someone like him. Others rejected him for sporting reasons, such as size or positional fit. But it’s impossible to ignore the reality that homophobia—even in its most subtle form—cast a long shadow over his chances.

And more than a decade later, today, Sam’s story is both a triumph of courage and a case study in how far the league has and hasn’t come.

This Pride Month, the NFL made headlines again, airing a bold and inclusive campaign declaring, “Football is gay. Football is lesbian. Football is beautiful. Football is queer. Football is transgender. Football is for everyone.” It was a direct attempt to challenge the old-school image of football and reinforce a more welcoming message.

But not everyone took it that way. Former Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant, for instance, vehemently criticized the campaign, saying, “These are wild statements to make… I’m going to proudly tell my boys football is none of these things.” He followed with, “I have nothing against gays, but this is far from right.”

The backlash proved just how fragile progress can be. While the league’s top-down messaging has evolved, the cultural ground it stands on remains uneven. Acceptance exists, but it feels conditional, and often silent.

To this day, no active NFL player is publicly out. Former receiver Kenny Stills summed it up best last year: “We’re a long way from where we need to be.”

Jaguars assistant strength coach Kevin Maxen, who came out in 2023, offered the bluntest insight yet: “Nobody cares.” Chiefs strength coach Ryan Reynolds echoed the same: “I just evaluate someone on their ability to coach… To me, it doesn’t matter.”

And yet, locker-room culture still shies away from the topic. “No one really talks about it,” players often say. But silence, while better than hate, is not the same as support.

All said and done, though Michael Sam didn’t get his NFL moment, he lit the fuse. The league is still catching up to the conversation he forced into the spotlight… but as it remains with every revolutionary change to happen, it’ll take more voices, more courage, and fewer excuses.