Sam set himself on a path to become the first publicly gay player in the National Football League. One by one, players were asked to talk about themselves - where they grew up, why they chose Missouri and what others might not know about them.Īs Michael Sam, a defensive lineman, began to speak, he balled up a piece of paper in his hands. Coaches at the University of Missouri divided players into small groups at a preseason football practice last year for a team-building exercise.
