Out NFL star Michael Sam is heading back to school after quitting team
Football star Michael Sam says he has enrolled in grad school, after dropping out of playing for a professional team.
Sam became the first openly gay player in NFL history when he came out as gay last year – and has since had brief spells with the St Louis Rams and the Dallas Cowboys.
However, after being cut from both teams he opted for a transfer to the Canadian Football League – signing a two-year deal with Canadian team the Montreal Alouettes.
But last month he crashed out of the Alouettes as well, quitting the team citing mental health issues.
Today the player indicated he would step away from sport for now, though he plans to return in the future.
He tweeted: “So I got admitted to University Of Missouri Grad program this week.”
“I enrolled in Grad school this Fall to further my education, while I train to get back to football!!!”
Speaking about his reasons for quitting previously, he said: “The last 12 months have become very difficult for me to the point where I became concerned for my mental health.
“Because of this, I am going to step away from the game at this time. I thank the Alouettes for this opportunity and hope to be back on the field soon.
“Thank you all for your understanding and support.”
The player is thought to have been struggling with the intense media scrutiny, which has coach has previously cited as an issue.
Jim Popp, General Manager of the Alouettes, said previously: “It’s a huge story because everybody keeps hounding and hounding and hounding. Michael Sam just wants to be a football player.
“I would think anybody that’s 25 years old that has been going through it for a year and a half, it would have to affect him. I would think so.”
