Tony Dungy says he wouldn’t have drafted Michael Sam
By Dan Zinski
The St. Louis Rams made history when they drafted Michael Sam, the first openly gay player to be taken by an NFL team. With that history-making decision will come an elevated amount of media attention, and with that attention may come distraction.
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One distinguished former NFL coach believes the potential for distraction isn’t worth the chance to make history.
Tony Dungy told the Tampa Tribune that, if it had been him making the call on Sam, he would have passed.
"I wouldn’t have taken him. Not because I don’t believe Michael Sam should have a chance to play, but I wouldn’t want to deal with all of it. It’s not going to be totally smooth … things will happen."
Things like, for instance, a coach making terrible jokes about gays, islands and nukes and creating an uncomfortable work environment? Not that such a thing could ever take place in the enlightened world of an NFL locker room…
No doubt, Sam will face some issues as he enters the NFL. There are bound to be doofuses who give him a hard time. There are bound to be fans who let him have it. And there is undoubtedly going to be a lot more media around Rams camp than normal.
The Rams knew that going in, and they didn’t care. They believed the positive PR from taking Sam would be worth the circus. Dungy disagrees.
Everyone has their own approach. Dungy likes low key. Jeff Fisher isn’t afraid of a little media glare.
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