Michael Sam announced on Twitter he would be stepping away from football, saying stress from the last year has made him become concerned with his mental health. Because of this I am going to step away from the game at this time.
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“I thank the Alouettes for this opportunity and hope to be back on the field soon”, he continued.
In his first professional football game, Sam played sparingly in the Alouettes 26-23 loss to the Ottawa RedBlacks on August. 7. “Thank you all for your understanding and support”.
Sam was given a ton of media attention throughout the NFL Draft Combine and workouts before the St. Louis Rams drafted him in the seventh round. After a spell on the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad last fall, he was cut loose and never hooked up with another NFL club. Sam returned and the team welcomed him back, but after a short spell – and only one game appearance – he was a noticeable absentee for the team’s game this week against the Edmonton Eskimos, and more conjecture about his future swirled.
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Citing personal reasons, Sam left the Alouettes on June 12, according to the Associated Press (via the New York Daily News). Now, it appears his time in Montreal, and perhaps professional football, is over.
