Michael Sam had his NFL debut in a pre-season game. He got a quick lesson as a professional football player that he’s not a normal rookie because he’s gay.
Michael Sam took baby steps against the opposition in his first NFL outing. The baby steps seemed a little awkward, since Sam is 6’2” and weighs in at 262 pounds, but they worked: The St. Louis Rams defensive player pressured New Orleans Saints quarterback Ryan Griffin so effectively that he was forced to throw out of bounds to avoid being sacked.
Later, he did a nice job of blocking a Saints runner. Sam on his performance: “I was kind of nervous. I got some nerves out today. It was a very good learning experience, and I can play in this league.”
It was a small step for Michael Sam but a giant leap for, well, for whom? Mankind? The NFL? It could use some positive press in light of revelations about the league’s head injury cover up, widespread drug abuse, and players’ off-the-field antics involving guns and/or violence against women.
His Jersey Is Popular in Stores
Or was it a giant leap just for Michael Sam, who came out of the closet in February? He was drafted by the Rams in May and is now competing for a starting spot on the 53-man team. Along the way, he has to deal with all the publicity that comes with being the first acknowledged homosexual in a very macho league.
Sam’s weekend debut was accompanied by as much fuss as Johnny Manziel of the Cleveland Browns got when he was introduced amid prophecies of a stellar career. Sam was seen as a second stringer at best. He insisted that his only wish was to be considered a football player, but life isn’t that simple: His jersey, bearing number 96, was the sixth best-selling jersey in the league for the past four months. In July, he received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award given to, among others, Muhammad Ali, Billie Jean King and Nelson Mandela. It seemed impossible to regard him simply as a football player.
Suddenly, Sam Refers to Himself in the Third Person
That’s precisely why he’s being criticized. His former roommate at the University of Missouri, Eric Waters, says he’s noticed a change in Sam: “That’s not the same guy we knew back when we were living together. He is not the same fun-loving, joking guy that really didn’t care about stuff like publicity.” Sam gives interviews, shakes hands in St. Louis nightclubs, and signs autographs until his hand cramps. His fans admire his interaction with the public; his detractors claim he’s hogging the limelight.
His former coach, Tony Dungy, told the Tampa Tribune newspaper that in light of all the publicity, he would not have drafted Sam — “Not because I don’t believe Michael Sam should have a chance to play, but I wouldn’t want to deal with all of it. It’s not going to be totally smooth … things will happen.” If the Oakland Raiders had taken that position in 1989 and hired a different coach than African-American Art Shell, Dungy would have never had the opportunity to become the first African-American coach to win the NFL title in 2007. When public criticism appeared, Dungy was forced to backpedal his comments: “I wish Michael Sam nothing but the best in his quest to become a star in the NFL, and I am confident he will get the opportunity to show what he can do on the field. My sincere hope is that we will be able to focus on his play and not on his sexual orientation.”
He Has Proven that He Can Be Competitive in the NFL
Perhaps the first pre-season game really is the right time to pay more attention to Michael Sam: He had some successes, but he seemed disoriented and was stopped all too easily by some opposing players. As a defensive end — where the Rams started him — he seemed to lack the necessary athleticism, but he tip-toed closer and closer to his opponents. He proved that he could be competitive in the NFL — no more, no less.
So the first appearance of a gay football player was neither a great leap for the NFL nor for mankind. It was a baby step for Michael Sam on his long journey to taking the field for a few moments on Sept. 7, in a regular season game against the Minnesota Vikings.
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