The Dallas Cowboys waived Michael Sam from their practice squad on Tuesday, sending the first openly gay NFL player back on the market.
Sam joined the Cowboys’ 10-man practice squad before the regular season began, and he never made it to the team’s 53-man roster. He previously was cut from the St. Louis Rams, who selected him in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft. As a member of the Rams, Sam had three sacks and 11 total tackles during the preseason.
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The defensive end responded to the move in series of tweets, saying he was both disappointed and thankful.
“I want to thank the Jones family and the entire Cowboys organization for this opportunity, as well as my friends, family, teammates, and fans for their support,” he wrote to his almost 200,000 followers. “While this is disappointing, I will take the lessons I learned here in Dallas and continue to fight for an opportunity to prove that I can play every Sunday.”
I want to thank the Jones family and the entire Cowboys organization for this opportunity, as well as my friends, family, teammates, (1/3)
— Michael Sam (@MichaelSamNFL) October 21, 2014
and fans for their support. While this is disappointing, I will take the lessons I learned here in Dallas and continue to fight for an (2/3)
— Michael Sam (@MichaelSamNFL) October 21, 2014
opportunity to prove that I can play every Sunday. (3/3)
— Michael Sam (@MichaelSamNFL) October 21, 2014
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Sam, last year’s SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year, didn’t have a good showing at the NFL Scouting Combine, where he struggled in both the 40-yard dash and vertical leap. Following that lackluster display, he was chosen by the Rams with the 249th overall pick.
Following the final whistle of his collegiate career, Sam announced publicly that he is gay.
