‘IT’S UNFORTUNATE’

Michael Sam: Gruden’s Homophobic Email About Me Is So Disappointing

Sam said he felt particularly bad for Raiders player Carl Nassib, who is the first openly gay active NFL player.

Michael Sam, the first openly gay player to be drafted into the NFL, has spoken out for the first time since disgraced ousted Las Vegas Raiders Coach Joe Gruden’s homophobic email about him was exposed this week. Gruden was shown to have used racist and misogynistic language in his leaked emails, and also used a homophobic term while referring to Sam in 2014. Sam said he found the revelation particularly disappointing because Carl Nassib, the first openly gay active NFL player, plays for the Raiders and was publicly backed by Gruden after he came out earlier this year. “It’s unfortunate,’’ Sam said Wednesday, according to USA Today. “Especially that the first active gay player who’s playing is on the same team... The whole team would rally around [Nassib] but again, it almost seems like it was just for show. So are you really a part of it, or are you not?­­­­­­­ Sam added that the NFL is moving toward being accepting of LGBTQ+ communities, and people who can’t handle that will “need to find another profession.’’