Former NFL defensive end Marcus Spears says if Michael Sam were straight or closeted, he’d be in the NFL right now. He told Paul Finebaum on the SEC Network:
"You know why they are staying away from him. I really feel like his lifestyle is a reason why he's not on a football team. In order to be the Defensive Player of the Year in the SEC you are a really good football player and you have an insurmountable amount to talent that you can offer to an NFL team. Everybody wants to sugar coat it and talk about he may not cut it as a player. He's good enough to play in the NFL. I played in it 9 years, and he has a lot of talent that I've seen a lot of guys have long careers in the NFL. … He has that.
"I think it's unfortunate that the way he chooses to live his life plays into the decision of him playing in the NFL. There are a lot of teams out there that need defensive linemen that he can help. There's a premium on pass rushers every single Sunday in the National Football League, and he's proven he can do that throughout his preseason and the games he's had an opportunity to play in."
Spears may have some idea what he’s talking about. He played defensive end in the NFL for nine seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens.
Sam is currently without a futures contract with an NFL team.
