Former NFL player Michael Sam has joined the Canadian Football League. The defensive end has signed with the Montreal Alouettes to a two-year deal, the team announced Friday. Sam, a former star college player for the Missouri Tigers, struggled during his NFL rookie season in 2014. After being picked in the seventh round of the draft by the St. Louis Rams, he was released by the team in August and picked up by the Dallas Cowboys for their practice squad. The Cowboys released Sam in October.
Sam garnered global headlines last year as the first openly gay player to be picked in the NFL draft.
Read Next: U.S. Ranks Worst in Sports Homophobia Study
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com