Founder of OutSports Cyd Zeigler sat down with the NFL Network to discuss the St. Louis Rams' decision to cut Michael Sam and not offer him a position on the team's practice squad. Commenting on how much Sam's sexuality has influenced his current position, Zeigler commented, “I don't believe [Sam's] not at the St. Louis Rams because he is gay. I believe he is not in the NFL because he is gay.” You'll recall that once Sam was cut from the Rams' roster, the 31 other teams in the NFL had 24 hours to either add Sam to their roster or their practice squad. No team chose to do so, leaving Sam's prospects in the NFL uncertain.
When asked whether the media played a role in Sam's ultimately not being offered a position by an NFL Team, Zeigler made sure to bring up the now notorious report by ESPN on Sam's showering habits in the Rams locker room:
"I think the media played a big role. Last week's report by ESPN about his showering habits hurt him. I think that it was going so well for a few weeks in the preseason, we were just talking about Michael Sam the football player then all of a sudden last week it was a big reminder of the power of him being gay in the locker room and how much people want to talk about that. And that's sad to me…He has to [end up on a team's practice squad].
Though Sam faces an uphill battle getting on another team's practice squad after failing to make the Rams' squad, Zeigler believes that his talent and ability merit a spot on an NFL team: “If he is not on at least a practice squad in the next couple of weeks right now we have to say that the NFL has a big problem with homophobia."
However, Zeigler still has faith that Sam will ultimately find a place in the NFL, commenting that the organization is in his eyes, "a meritocracy” and that Sam will ultimately find a home on an NFL team for one simple reason: “Sam is too good.”
You can watch Zeigler's interview HERE.