Michael Sam is a defensive football player who is currently waiting to be drafted to the NFL. While playing for the Tigers at the University of Missouri for four years, Sam accumulated 123 tackles, participated in the 2014 Senior Bowl and scored the winning touchdown in the Cotton Bowl against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. In 2014, Sam also came out about his sexuality.

“I understand how big this is. It’s a big deal. No one has done this before. And it’s kind of a nervous process, but I know what I want to be … I want to be a football player in the NFL,” Sam said during the interview that changed his life.

Sam first came out in August, 2013 to his fellow teammates. After telling the members of his team that he was gay, it was very hard for them to all adapt. Like most people who have just come out, he faced the difficulties of being accepted amongst his peers but after they were all able to adjust, it united the team instead of pushing them farther apart.

“We’re really happy for Michael that he’s made the decision to announce this, and we’re proud of him and how he represents Mizzou. [He] is a great example of just how important it is to be respectful of others, he’s taught a lot of people here first-hand that it doesn’t matter what your background is, or your personal orientation, we’re all on the same team and we all support each other.” said Coach Gary Pinkle.

Outside of the world of football, Sam’s coming out has influenced states such as Kentucky to recognize and legalize gay marriage. In the past couple of months several celebrities such as Ellen Paige, Robin Roberts, Cara Delevingne and Bob Harper have taken the plunge by publicly coming out. The NFL has accepted the notion of taking in gay athletes and has acknowledged Sam as a strong and courageous individual for doing what he had done publicly. Sam has set the tone for 2014 to be a year for new beginnings and hopeful futures for gay athletes and members of the gay community.

With the coming out of a star athlete, it is very hopeful that idea of gay members in the NFL will become widely accepted in America. Although this has hugely impacted the nation by welcoming the acceptance of the gay community into society, only time will tell what is in store for Sam in the future.