Now, it appears his time in Montreal, and perhaps professional football, is over.
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Sam first thanked the Alouettes for the opportunity to play the sport he loved and vowed he would give his all on the field for them this season.
Michael Sam tweeted the news Friday afternoon, saying the last few months have been hard. It was an unfortunate situation for Sam, but I believe that he let that get to him. “Thank you all for your understanding and help”.
Sam’s announcement came as a surprise, having signed a two-year deal last week with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. The former SEC Defensive Player of the Year cited mental health as his reasoning to walk away from the CFL.
He did not feature in Montreal’s home defeat to Edmonton on Thursday night, which the club said was due to a sore back.
Sam became the first openly gay football player to be drafted when he was picked up by the St. Louis Rams in 2014.
The 25-year-old Galveston, Texas native never played in a regular season NFL game.
The Alouettes later confirmed Sam’s departure and, per CFL rules, placed him on the suspended list. He spent part of 2014 on the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad.
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Sam made his debut with the Alouettes August 7, but didn’t play much during the team’s 26-23 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks. Sam said that his mental health was what caused him to make this decision.
