As prospective pro football player Michael Sam awaits the NFL Draft this week, it's been announced that he'll receive the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage this summer from ESPN for coming out as gay.
Since coming out, Sam has received several messages from other players who are closeted, he told Robin Roberts in an interview aired today on Good Morning America.
"You know, on the night of my announcement -- that week I had gotten so many emails, so many text messages, from college and NFL players, and other athletes in the sport industry about how courageous I was. [They] themselves are closeted homosexuals," the former University of Missouri defensive lineman said. "So yeah, I'm not the only one. There's a lot of us."
Looking toward the draft, which takes place Thursday through Saturday, Sam said the coaches who are interested in picking him know his skills and should not be deterred by his sexual orientation.
"The coaches know that I'm a great football player," he said. "Where I go, it doesn't matter. As long as I get to play and put a jersey on my back, it's just awesome. I'm going to be proud of where I go."
Watch the interview below.
