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Michael Sam Rejoins Alouettes: ‘It Was Just Overwhelming To Some Degree,’ Says Coach [Video]

By Maat van Uitert
Published on: 02:18 PST, Jun 27, 2015

Michael Sam has rejoined the Montreal Alouettes after a brief absence for “personal reasons.” The first openly gay player to be drafted into the NFL, Sam signed a two-year contract with the Montreal Alouettes and jump-started his professional football career. However, Sam made news when he left the Alouettes on June 12 during training camp after just two and a half weeks for undisclosed personal reasons.

According to the Canadian Football League website, “The Als placed Sam on their suspended list to retain his rights in case he returns.”

Michael Sam will be back, said head coach Jim Popp in an interview with the Guardian on Thursday. The coach was supportive of Michael’s reasons for leaving but said Sam’s career might be over if he doesn’t return to the team.

“I think he will be back,” Popp said. “I’ll be surprised if he is not back. He wants to play. I will be very surprised if he is not back.”

The coach told the Guardian that he understood the pressure Sam is under and feels Michael needs time away.

“In our league, it’s a lot of one-on-one pass rush opportunities,” Calgary Stampeders assistant general manager John Murphy recently told USA Today about Michael. “[Sam is] in the prime of his career. That guy’s coming up and playing against some guys who might have a little more tread on their tire.”

“I think [Michael Sam] needed a break,” Popp told the Guardian. “That’s my personal belief. I think it was just overwhelming to some degree, and he needs to clear his mind, clear his head. Do I think he wants to play? Do I think he wants to be on the field? Do I think he wants to be Michael Sam the football player? I, 100 percent, believe that. Yes.”

When asked about Michael Sam’s sexuality and the impact it might have on football, Popp had a lot to say to the Guardian.

“I don’t think [Michael] thought of it [as groundbreaking] when he came out. When he does actually say it – you have to remember this – he’s already established, he’s the leader of the team, the star defensive player, and everybody’s already his buddies and friends and they already knew a lot of [it]. So everything was great. Now when you’re starting a pro career and that story is out, now you’re every other rookie that comes in to a professional camp. It’s not easy, it’s a tough go to try and break through. There’s a limited percentage of people in the world who ever get that job, and it’s just tough. I’m sure that with the additional pressure of being the first openly gay player and all the attention that comes with that, it’s even tougher.”

USA Today reports that the Montreal Alouettes lost its opening game Thursday night to the Ottawa Redblacks — Sam wasn’t present for that game.

According to USA Today, “Sam, a defensive end who was the SEC’s co-defensive player of the year in 2013 for the Missouri Tigers, has not played in an NFL regular-season game. He was cut by the St. Louis Rams, who drafted him in the seventh round in 2014, in preseason last year and later spent time on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad.”

It’s likely that Michael Sam will play in a game now that he’s back with the Montreal Alouettes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW-_fFdkegs

[Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images for GQ]

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