Michael Sam Picked Up By The Dallas Cowboys

Just days after Michael Sam was cut by the St. Louis Rams, the Dallas Cowboys have signed him to their practice squad.

Via USA Today

Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said today that the move to add defensive end Michael Sam, the NFL’s first openly gay player, to the team’s practice squad was strictly a football decision.

During a regularly scheduled news conference, Garrett addressed the addition of Sam without once referencing Sam’s sexuality or the significance of signing him and repeated that his arrival is strictly to help the team at a position of need.

“This is about football,” Garrett said. “We evaluated him as a football player and felt he could help us as a football player. We want to see what he can do. Our attention and focus is on football.”

Calling Sam a “very good” college player, Garrett said Sam’s collegiate track record speaks for itself. Garrett added that while he did not speak directly with St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher, he received “good reports from a number of people about (Sam)” in St. Louis.