"When in Rome," goes the saying, and while Michael Sam and his longtime boyfriend were there, the gossip papers say they decided they will get married.
Although we're still searching for confirmation and details, including who popped the question and was there a ring or two, the
New York Post's Page Six and
Us Weekly quote sources as saying Sam and Vito Cammisano got engaged on a European vacation.
TMZ Sportsspotted the news in an Instagram post by one of Cammisano's college friends:
"People, he is officially off the market!!!!! My beautiful friend @vitcamm is getting married!!!!!!" And TMZ notes, Sam "liked" her post.
The former
St. Louis Rams and
Dallas Cowboys defensive end, the first openly gay NFL player drafted and now a free agent, celebrated this 25th birthday in Italy with Cammisano, after ringing in the New Year in Madrid, Spain.
InstagramÂ
photos show the happy couple celebrating, toasting, posing and kissing.
It was their long, deep kiss following Sam's NFL draft by the Rams that introduced most of the world to Cammisano, who met Sam when they were students at the University of Missouri. Although the former collegiate swimmer has been his longtime love, their smooch made headlines because
ESPN showed it live -- and then local sportscasters, newspapers and even the network morning shows replayed it for even more viewers -- just as they would show any jock celebrating his or her success with a significant other. In some quarters there was an uproar, especially on twitter.
" Man U got little kids lookin at the draft," tweeted former NFL running back
Derrick Ward. "I can't believe ESPN even allowed that to happen."
After taking a ton of heat, Ward later attempted to clarify his remarks by saying he'd complain just as much if ESPN showed a heterosexual couple kissing in the same manner.
Deadspin noted that while it may have been the first kiss by two gay men ever broadcast during the NFL draft, it was certainly not the first time a drafted player kissed his love interest.
He may be spoken for in the game of love, but in football Sam remains a free agent, let go by the Rams and cut by the Cowboys' practice squad.
Last month, Sam told
TMZ "I don't think it had to do with talent."
As NBC Sports reported, Sam believes the failure of any team to give him one of 53 roster spots or 10 positions on the practice squad after dozens of players have landed on injured reserve has no relation to his ability. Now is when his phone should be ringing: team rosters expand to 90 player positions after the regular season; that's 2,880 offseason jobs available. Will a team take a chance on Michael Sam?
That and many other questions remain: have Sam and his fiance set the date? Where will they exchange vows? What will they wear? Matching tuxedos? Where are they registered? Will the cake be in the shape of a football? Will Cammisano allow Sam to shove cake in his face at the reception the way Sam did live on
ESPN after being drafted?
The Advocate reached out to Sam's sports agent for comment and for answers to these and other pressing questions, but we've not yet heard back.
