Huffington Magazine Issue 88 | Page 6

Enter STACY REVERE/GETTY IMAGES 1 ‘MY TRUTH’ POINTERS Michael Sam, a former defensive end for the University of Missouri who will enter the NFL draft in May, came out publicly on Sunday. If he is drafted, which experts predict will happen, Sam will become the first openly gay player in the league. There are also no openly gay players in the NBA, the NHL, or Major League Baseball. “I just want to own my truth,” Sam told The New York Times. Sam, who was named a first-team all-American and the SEC defensive player of the year for 2013, said his college teammates knew about his sexual orientation and were supportive. “Michael is a great example of just how important it is to be respectful of others,” Missouri’s football coach, Gary Pinkel, said. HUFFINGTON 02.16.14