Michael Sam Officially Introduced As A Montreal Alouette

After reports last week that Michael Sam signed with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes, today the team made the official announcement via press conference, which makes Sam the first openly gay player in the CFL.

Sam received rampant media attention when he decided to come out prior to the 2014 NFL Draft. The former SEC Defensive Player of the Year would eventually be picked in the seventh round by the St. Louis Rams, making him the first openly gay athlete to ever be drafted by an NFL team.

However, despite a fairly stellar preseason where he led the team in sacks, Sam was eventually cut by the Rams who were front loaded with pass rushers. He got another chance with the Cowboys, but Dallas released him as well.

Since then, he did an interview with Oprah Winfrey and even competed on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. But with training camp fast approaching and no teams biting after the veteran combine, Sam has decided to sign a two-year contract with the Alouettes.

“I’m not trying to really do anything historic here by being with Montreal, I’m just trying to help the team win some games so we can bring the Grey Cup back home,” Sam started.

“My [6’2″, 260-pound] size fits as a pass-rusher. I led [the Rams] in preseason sacks and that was in the NFL. So I’m a pass-rusher, doesn’t matter where I’m at.”

“He’ll be able to stand up off the edge and bring pass rush, every play,” Alouettes GM Jim Popp told CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora last week. “That’s what we’ll do with him. He’ll get to do what he does best and we’ll put him in the position to do that and let him get after the quarterback every down. He still has to make our team… But he has the skill set to do that.”

The Alouettes’ GM even compared Sam’s size and style of play to Cameron Wake, a player who got his start with the BC Lions and was able to successfully transfer over to the NFL.

If Sam makes the team, then his first regular season game will be June 25 against the Ottawa Redblacks.