Former Missouri defensive end Michael Sam will be the biggest story of the late rounds of the NFL draft, as he’ll become the first openly gay player in the NFL if he is selected or signed as an undrafted free agent. But Sam is taking a low-key approach to all the attention he’ll get this week.
According to sports business reporter Mark J. Burns, Sam has declined the requests of both ESPN and NFL Network to have a camera with him during the draft. Sam getting a phone call informing him that he’s in the NFL -- or sitting there waiting for his phone to ring -- would make for great TV, but Sam doesn’t want to participate.
That’s not surprising. Sam has made clear from Day One that he wants to focus his attention on football, and that he doesn’t want to have any distractions as he pursues his dream of making it in the NFL.
Still, it would be nice to have cameras capture Sam’s big moment, if he does get a phone call telling him he’s been drafted. Perhaps a friend or family member can record it for history.