dailymail
- Michael Sam made history as the the first openly gay player in the NFL
- The athlete was selected for the St Louis Rams but was later dropped
- Then he was selected for a Dallas Cowboys squad before being cut again
- Last night he was named the GQ Man of the Year 2014 in West Hollywood
The NFL’s first openly gay player, Michael Sam, has been named Man of the Year by men’s magazine GQ, and celebrated the accolade by planting a kiss on his partner Vito Cammisano.
Sam, who was drafted into the St Louis Rams earlier this year, took home the award at a ceremony at West Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont last night.
Other stars in contention for the prize were Chris Pratt, Steve Carell, Dave Chappelle, Ansel Elgort and Shailene Woodley.
The athlete won the award despite having not yet played an on-season game in the NFL. He was cut from the Rams squad in August, but was later picked for a Dallas Cowboys practice team, only to be dropped again in October.
When asked by TMZ why he thought he was not on the roster of an NFL team, Sam said; ‘I think I was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year last year … so I don’t think it had to do with talent.
And while they took that to mean Sam was saying he was cut because he was gay, he quickly clarified his statement on Twitter.
He wrote: ‘Despite what headlines you may read, I’ve never said and have never believed that I am being kept out of the league.
‘I know I have talent to play in the NFL and I look forward to getting an opportunity once again to prove that I can help a team win.’
Football or not, Sam’s career has been taking off since he graduated from University of Missouri, with the 24-year-old becoming perhaps the most famous openly gay professional athlete.
And if the NFL doesn’t work out he does have a big fan in Mötley Crüe front man Vince Neil, who has been very vocal about wanting him for he new Las Vegas Arena Football League team.