Michael Sam
Michael Sam made headlines on February 9 when he came out during a telecast of the ESPN
Sam was born on January 7, 1990 in Galveston, Texas. His childhood was unconventional and troubling. He dealt with homelessness at a point, he saw one of his brothers die from a gunshot wound, and two of his brothers are currently serving prison sentences. His parents were separated, and he lived with his mother until high school, which he attended in Hitchcock, Texas. Sam’s mother, a devout Jehovah’s Witness, did not agree with his decision to play football, so he lived with the parents of another teammate. He earned a scholarship to the University of Missouri, becoming the first person in his family to attend college.
Sam graduated with a bachelor’s degree in December 2013, and prepared for the 2014 NFL draft. When he came out on February 9, he said that he wanted to control the manner in which he came out, denying tabloids or other press to make a “scandal” out of something that isn’t one; he is out and unashamed and wanted to let the public know. He was congratulated by a number of football greats, such as Shannon Sharpe, formerly of the Denver Broncos; Tiki Barber, formerly of the New York Giants; and DeAngelo Williams, currently of the Carolina Panthers. President and Mrs. Obama as well as Vice-President Biden sent their congratulations to Sam as well.