Michael Sam was introduced as the member of the St. Louis Rams on Tuesday, addressing reporters for the first time since being selected in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL draft.
The defensive end was the first openly gay player ever to be chosen in the draft, garnering him much greater media attention than a low-round pick normally would. But Sam is far from a lock to make the Rams’ roster — especially considering the team already has two established D-ends in Chris Long and Robert Quinn — and he said he is determined not to let the spotlight be a roadblock on his ongoing path to becoming an NFL player.
“Right now, I am just looking forward to continuing on my dream,” Sam said, via ESPN.com. “And if it inspires other people, then, hey, I’m with you. Anyone that’s not OK with that, if someone disowns you, hey, be a part of my family, I’ll welcome you.”
Hear more from Sam’s presser in the video below, courtesy of USA Today.
