The Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday released
Michael Sam, the first openly gay player to be drafted by the NFL.
Sam spent seven weeks on the Cowboys'
10-man practice squad.
The team said in
a statement that they were making room for second-year linebacker
Troy Davis.
“I want to thank the [Jerry] Jones
family and the entire Cowboys organization for this opportunity, as
well as my friends, family, teammates, and fans for their support,”
Sam said in a
series of tweets. “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.”
Sam, a 24-year-old all-American
defensive player of the year from Missouri, was invited to play for
the Cowboys four days after the St. Louis Rams cut him from their
roster.