Michael Sam

American football is notorious for its machismo culture and “boy’s club” mentality. Sorry, but it’s true. It’s for this reason that Michael Sam’s story is so remarkable. He made history as the first openly gay football player in the NFL when he was drafted by the Rams in 2014. Coming out after his college football career must have been a nerve-wracking experience, considering he would forever be labeled as “the first.”

Sam had already faced plenty of unfair treatment and challenging situations before publicly coming out. Two of his seven siblings have already passed away, one is missing, and two of his brothers are in prison. On top of that, Sam experienced homelessness as a kid, having to live in his mother’s car on several occasions. Sam’s life hasn’t been easy, and we hope that he continues to persevere.