In the collection of ugly Jon Gruden e-mails that have been leaked, leading to the resignation of the now-former Las Vegas Raiders head coach, he claimed that the NFL pressured the St. Louis Rams into drafting linebacker Michael Sam, the first openly gay player ever drafted into the league.
However, the man who was the coach of the Rams at the time when Sam was drafted in 2014, former Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher, has since taken to Twitter to deny that ever happened.
“Michael Sam was the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2013, and we selected him in the 2014 NFL Draft based on his defensive production and pass rushing skill set on the field,” Fisher wrote. “As a head coach for over 20 years, we drafted or didn’t draft, players based on a variety of qualities. Their sexual orientation would never – and should never – play a part in the decision-making process.
“I continue to support Michael, and his decision to come out as the first draft eligible openly gay player in the league. It took courage to serve as a role model for those competitive football players who may also happen to be gay.
“Lastly, the NFL never encouraged or discouraged me regarding the selection of a potential prospect.”
Jumping on Twitter to clarify the below.
Hope everyone is doing good.😎👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/4bqFDUYSR6— Jeff Fisher (@CoachJeffFisher) October 13, 2021
Fisher spent 17 seasons with the Oilers/Titans before moving on to coach the Rams for another five. He is set to be inducted into the Titans’ Ring of Honor this year.
