NEW YORK —Â Michael Sam has been selected the winner of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
The Missouri defensive end, who likely will be drafted by an NFL team this weekend, will receive the award at the 2014 ESPYS on July 16.
Sam, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, has announced that he is gay and will become the first openly gay player in the NFL if he is drafted or signs with a team. ESPN is honoring Sam for “his courage and honesty that resonates beyond sports.”
Sam says he is “very honored to be presented with the Arthur Ashe Award” because it is “about courage.”
He adds, “You know I don’t think there is anything courageous I did. I look forward to when we can live life in a world when gays don’t have to come out in public.”
