President Obama congratulates Michael Sam, St. Louis Rams

Jan 3, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Michael Sam (52) runs on the field before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at the 2014 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Missouri beat Oklahoma State 41-31. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /

The 2014 NFL Draft may have come to a close on Saturday evening, but not before Michael Sam was drafted by the St. Louis Rams.

Sam, a standout at Missouri State, is of course the first openly gay player to be drafted (and hopefully play) in the NFL. The fanfare surrounding Sam’s selection has been mostly positive sans a few knuckleheads, including current and former NFL players who made a handful of disparaging comments.

Despite that, most have congratulated Sam including President Barack Obama who released the following statement after the draft.

"“The President congratulates Michael Sam, the Rams and the NFL for taking an important step forward today in our Nation’s journey. From the playing field to the corporate boardroom, LGBT Americans prove everyday that you should be judged by what you do and not who you are.”"

Sam and the rest of the St. Louis Rams rookie class will meet with team officials on Monday afternoon while media and fan availability will come on Tuesday.

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