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Michael Sam's sexuality won't change anything for Eagles

    by Mike Sielski
    Published 

Count the Eagles as one NFL team that says Michael Sam's decision to publicly reveal his homosexuality will not affect the franchise's willingness or unwillingness to draft him.

"Why would it change anything?" a team spokesman said Monday morning.

General manager Howie Roseman was not immediately available for comment.

A defensive lineman at Missouri and the 2013 defensive player of the year in the Southeastern Conference, Sam acknowledged that he was gay Sunday in interviews with the New York Times, ESPN, and Outsports. He would become the first openly gay player in NFL history.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 255 pounds, Sam led the SEC with 11.5 sacks this season. He would be undersized as a defensive end in the NFL and would have to brush up on his coverage skills if he were to move to outside linebacker. Those factors would, on paper at least, appear to make him an ill fit for the Eagles' 3-4 scheme.