Dallas Cowboys Cut Michael Sam From Practice Squad

Former Missouri Michael Sam star will seek new NFL home after being cut by Cowboys

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Michael Sam, the first openly-gay player drafted by the National Football League, was cut by the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday, according to Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network.

The Cowboys signed Sam off waivers shortly after the St. Louis Rams released him in late August. He was signed to the practice squad, but was never called up to play in a regular season game.

Sam, the 2011 Southeastern Conference co-Defensive Player of the Year with Missouri, announced that he was gay in a piece with The New York Times in February. The defensive end struggled during the NFL Rookie Combine, which dropped his draft stock. He was finally selected by the Rams with the 249th overall pick in this past May’s draft.

The defensive end shined during the preseason, recording three sacks, but his lack of versatility and the Rams’ depth at the position were the deciding factors to his release when the team made its final cuts to the 53-man roster.

A native of Hitchcock, Texas, Sam said he first made the announcement to his Missouri teammates about his sexual status prior to last season. He finally made the decision to go public with it when several media outlets became aware of it, as Sam said he wanted to get out in front of the issue before the draft. His troubled childhood, including estrangement from his father, became a public issue as his story gained traction leading up to the draft.

Sam, who has an endorsement deal with Visa, was also named the 2014 winner of the Arthur Ashe award for Courage during the annual ESPYs ceremonies in July.

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