Michael Sam, the first openly gay player in the National Football League, has been honored as one of GQ's Men of the Year.
The 24-year-old defensive end made history this year when he got drafted into the NFL after coming out as gay. Since then, he has become a free agent, having been cut from the St. Louis Rams and the Dallas Cowboys this year. He has never played a regular season game, yet the profound effect he has had on the organization is undeniable. Just two days after his signing, Sam's jersey sales rose to be the second most popular of all rookie jerseys.
GQ has been a long-time supporter of Sam, and has written a litany of articles about his career possibilities. This year Sam is being honored alongside Ansel Elgort, star of Divergent and The Fault in Our Stars, Dave Chappelle, comedian and creator of Chappelle's Show, and Chris Pratt, star of Guardians of the Galaxy and Parks and Recreation as one of GQ's Men of the Year.
ith all that Sam has already accomplished, we look forward to seeing what's next for GQ's Man of the Year.