Michael Sam named GQ's Man of the Year 2014: NFL's first openly gay player honoured

The athlete is yet to play an on-season game following his axing from the St Louis Rams and the Dallas Cowboys earlier this year

Jenn Selby
Tuesday 18 November 2014 12:49 GMT
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(Getty Images)

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Michael Sam made history after he was drafted into the St Louis Rams American Football team earlier this year, making him the first openly gay player ever to grace the NFL.

Now, he’s been awarded title of GQ’s Man of the Year 2014 – as well as the equally privileged honour of being one of the six cover stars of the December issue alongside Chris Pratt, Steve Carell, Dave Chappelle, Ansel Elgort and Shailene Woodley.

This is, of course, despite the fact that the athlete is yet to play an on-season game following his axing from the Rams squad in August.

He was later selected for the Dallas Cowboys 10-man practice squad, only to be dropped again shortly afterwards.

“I want to thank the Jones family and the entire Cowboys organization for this opportunity, as well as my friends, family, teammates, and fans for their support,” he said following his Dallas disaster.

“While this is disappointing, I will take the lessons I learned here in Dallas and continue to fight for an opportunity to prove that I can play every Sunday.”

It is currently rumoured that Sam, who came out officially in the New York Times in February, will be making a move from the NFL to the Canadian Football League.

Bizarrely, reports today suggest that Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil could be set to save Sam’s career by offering him a spot on his newly-formed Las Vegas Outlaws team, which is set to make a season debut in 2015.

The glam rock singer told the Las Vegas Review Journal that he intends on putting the offer forward to Sam in the next few days.

His venture was approved by the NFL on 17 June this year, and the name approved in August.

Jon Bon Jovi, Tim McGraw, and KISS members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley also own teams in the indoor league.

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