The Michael Sam saga has now made its way to the great north. The Montreal Alouettes, of the Canadian Football League, have signed the former University of Missouri defensive star to a professional contract. After being drafted in the 2014 NFL draft and playing preseason snaps, the openly gay Sam was cut from the team before the start of the regular season. Sam spent the time away from the NFL deciding his next move, with ambitions to make it back into the league. Sam will now be able to showcase in the CFL the pre-draft hype that surrounded his game, and it could help him gain traction back into the NFL.
The Alouettes are excited about the prospect of having a talent like Sam coming to their league, especially because he is starting his professional career in a safe haven like Montreal. The general manager of the Alouettes, Jim Popp, told The Globe and Mail about their acquisition of the somehow still controversial player:
"Montreal is a trailblazing city, and it's a great place for him to hopefully play his first regular-season game as a professional. For me personally, I'm about helping to educate...if there are people out there who have issues for whatever reason -- well, it's about education and acceptance of people in society for who they are. That said, he's a professional football player same as everybody in our locker room, nothing different."
The opportunity for Sam to finally showcase his talents against professional players should start to change the minds of former NFL personnel that bypassed his potential. An anonymous scout for an NFL team told USA Today that if Sam performs well, it could reignited NFL interest:
"If he tears it up, he'll get a look."
Hopefully this time around, people will look at his play on the field instead of into his personal life to decide if he is talented enough to make it in National Football League.
What do you think of the Alouettes signing of Sam? Do you think Sam can make it in the NFL? Tell us what you think below.
