Canadian football's Alouettes sign defensive end Michael Sam
(Reuters) - Michael Sam, the first openly gay player drafted into the NFL, has signed a contract with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, the team said Friday. "With the signing of Michael Sam, we have become a better organization today," Alouettes general manager Jim Popp said in a statement. "Not only have we added an outstanding football player, we have added even a better person that brings dignity, character, and heart to our team." Terms of the deal were not released. The National Football League's St. Louis Rams selected Sam in the seventh round of the 2014 draft but waived the defensive end in the final round of cuts. Sam, 25, was picked up by the Dallas Cowboys but they released him from their practice squad in October. "I cannot wait to put on the pads, get back on the field and work hard each and every day with my teammates to bring a Grey Cup to the great fans here in Montreal," said Sam. The Alouettes will open their season on June 25 at home against the Ottawa Redblacks. Sam played in college at the University of Missouri where he was the Southeastern Conference's co-defensive player of the year in 2013. (Reporting by Steve Ginsburg in Washington; Editing by Bill Trott)
