Michael Sam will be introduced as a Cowboy this morning.
The Cowboys have scheduled a news conference to make it official that Sam, the NFL’s first openly gay player, has been added to the practice squad. The news broke yesterday that the Cowboys would sign Sam assuming he passed his physical.
Sam was drafted by the Rams and played well in the preseason, recording three sacks. But he did not play well enough to stay in St. Louis.
In Dallas, he may have a better chance of earning a spot on the 53-man roster if he proves himself on the practice squad. The Cowboys are desperate for help on defense, and Sam may be able to have an impact as a situational pass rusher.
Some will say that it doesn’t make sense to schedule a news conference just to announce that a player has been signed to the practice squad, but Sam is a significant figure in the NFL, in the history of American sports and in the gay rights movement. And Jerry Jones’s team never misses an opportunity to make news.