Coach Moorhead Speaks Out About Michael Sam

Joe Moorhead, the football coach that guided the team to record-breaking heights last fall, says Michael Sam is courageous for becoming the first NFL-bound player “to publicly declare his lifestyle preference,” Moorhead told Fordham Daily in a statement.

Media reports, first from The New York Times and ESPN, swirled around the Internet and social media late Sunday night as it was widely revealed that Sam — a senior defensive lineman for the University of Missouri, and likely on his way to the NFL — is gay.

“I’m not naïve,” Sam said to The Times. “I know this is a huge deal and I know how important this is. But my role as of right now is to train for the combine and play in the N.F.L.”

Pinging a similar message, Moorhead says he does not believe Sam’s sexual orientation will get in the way of his talent on the field.

“He is a very talented player who earned All-SEC and All-American honors this year,” Moorhead said. “I anticipate he will be judged in the NFL solely on his ability to help his team win games.”