(Getty Images)
Michael Sam is leaving professional football, at least temporarily, he announced on Friday.
The athlete broke the news on his Twitter account around 7:30 p.m. Eastern time. In a series of three tweets, Sam wrote, “The last 12 months have been very difficult for me, to the point where I became concerned with my mental health. Because of this I am going to step away from the game at this time.”
“I thank the Alouettes for this opportunity and hope to be back on the field soon,” he continued. “Thank you all for your understanding and support.”
As Gossip Cop has reported, Sam became the first openly gay player to be drafted by the NFL last year when he was selected by the St. Louis Rams. He was cut from the team last August, and then joined the Dallas Cowboys for a short time. Earlier this year, Sam signed a two-year contract with the Montreal Alouttes, part of the Canadian Football League.
In June, just as the season was gearing up, Sam took an unexplained personal leave. He returned later that month, but did not actually play in any games until August 7, at which point he became the first openly-gay player to participate in a regular-season CFL game. Now exactly a week after his debut, Sam is departing.
While the former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant has not revealed what personal issues he is dealing with, he and fiancé Vito Cammisano split in the late spring/early summer, just months after getting engaged at the Vatican. Gossip Cop will have updates. TELL US: What do you think of Sam quitting the CFL to focus on his mental health?
