By Cameron Heffernan

The first openly gay athlete has been drafted to a major sport.

Michael Sam of the Missouri Tigers, became the first openly gay athlete to be drafted into a major sport, when he was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round as the 249th pick.

Sam, A consensus All-American and the Associated Press’ SEC Player of The Year, was a surprising fall out of the early rounds.  As a top-tier player throughout his career in the SEC – one of college football’s most competitive  conferences – many expected Sam, and all his accolades, to at least go in the four-to-sixth round range. Falling to seven picks away from being the first openly gay Mr. Irrelevant was something many wouldn’t have seen coming. No matter what, someone was going to have to draft Sam. Not because of his homosexuality, or the ability to be the franchise that “took a stand,” but because the kid is a damn fine football player.

Even his new coach, Jeff Fisher, in a conversation with the NFL Network after the announcement, was more focused on the football player, and not the private life.

“I don’t have any concern whatsoever,”Fisher said. “We Drafted a good football player.”

Fisher, in an interview with ESPN talked about the journey he’s proud to be apart of.

“In a world of diversity we live in, I am Honored to be part of this.”

Not only is Sam breaking down barriers in the NFL, but he may have melted most American male’s minds when he celebrated his new found home with the Rams by sharing joyful kisses with his boyfriend. Here’s the video of the wonderful, mixed-race gay couple sharing their elation. Everyone at Fox News just had an aneurism and I’m sure is figuring out how to spin this in some negative manner:

Right there is something we thought we’d never see in sports. Something that’s continuously referred to as a “boys club”, and mostly known for it’s narrow minded fans, is now being forced to consider the rest of the world. Now, hopefully, he makes the final roster and continues his barrier-breaking, and offensive line crushing ways.  And all this isn’t just a flash in the pan, and the NFL just riding the coattails of something to further push us away from the conversation of player safety.