Michael Sam is an American former professional football player and coach who has a net worth of $200,000.

Michael Sam is best known for becoming the first openly gay player ever selected in the NFL Draft. A standout defensive end at the University of Missouri, Sam was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American after a dominant senior season in 2013. His public coming out before the 2014 NFL Draft made him one of the most discussed athletes in the country and turned his draft selection by the St. Louis Rams into a major moment in sports history.

Michael Sam's professional playing career was brief. He spent time with the Rams, the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad, and the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, but he never appeared in a regular-season NFL game. After football, he appeared on "Dancing with the Stars," became a public speaker, and later returned to the sport as a coach in Europe.

Michael Alan Sam Jr. was born on January 7, 1990, in Galveston, Texas, and grew up in Hitchcock, Texas. He was one of eight children in a family that faced significant hardship. Football became one of the stabilizing forces in his life. At Hitchcock High School, Sam played defensive end and offensive tackle, eventually earning first-team All-District honors.

Sam was not initially treated as a major national recruit, but his size, speed, and effort helped him earn a scholarship to the University of Missouri. That opportunity changed the direction of his life and made him the first member of his family to attend college.

Sam redshirted his first year at Missouri and gradually developed into one of the best pass rushers in the country. He played for the Tigers during the program's move from the Big 12 to the Southeastern Conference, which gave him a chance to prove himself against some of the best offensive linemen in college football.

His breakout came in 2013. As a senior, Sam recorded 11.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss, leading the SEC in both categories. Missouri went 12-2, won the SEC East, and defeated Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl. Sam was named SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year and became a unanimous All-American.

Before the 2014 NFL Draft, Michael Sam publicly came out as gay in interviews with ESPN and The New York Times. He had already told his Missouri teammates during the previous season, and they had largely kept the information private while he completed one of the best seasons in school history.

His announcement placed him at the center of a national conversation about sexuality, masculinity, and locker-room culture in football. In May 2014, the St. Louis Rams selected Sam in the seventh round with the 249th overall pick. The emotional televised moment, which showed Sam celebrating with his boyfriend, became one of the most memorable images from that year's draft.

Sam was later honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs. The award recognized the importance of his decision to live publicly and honestly at a time when no openly gay player had been drafted by an NFL team.

Sam joined the Rams for training camp and the preseason in 2014. He showed flashes as a pass rusher, but the Rams had a deep defensive line, and he was released before the start of the regular season. He then signed with the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad, where he spent several weeks before being waived.

In 2015, Sam signed with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. His time in Montreal was short and complicated by personal and mental-health challenges. He appeared in one regular-season CFL game, becoming the first publicly gay player to play in a CFL regular-season game, before stepping away from the team.

Sam later returned to football in Europe. He joined the Barcelona Dragons of the European League of Football in a coaching role and also suited up as a player. He later continued coaching with European teams, including defensive-line and linebacker roles.

Michael Sam's football earnings were far smaller than many people assume because his NFL career never turned into a regular-season roster spot. His four-year rookie contract with the Rams had a theoretical value of more than $2 million, but most of that money was not guaranteed. His actual Rams earnings were centered on his modest signing bonus and guaranteed money.

After being released by St. Louis, Sam spent several weeks on the Cowboys' practice squad, which provided additional income but not the kind of salary earned by active-roster NFL players. His CFL deal with Montreal was also short-lived, and he appeared in only one regular-season game.

Sam's post-football income has come from public speaking, media appearances, "Dancing with the Stars," coaching, and other opportunities connected to his place in sports history. His career earnings are modest by professional-football standards, but his cultural impact was far larger than his playing salary.

In 2015, Michael Sam competed on season 20 of "Dancing with the Stars" with professional dancer Peta Murgatroyd. He was eliminated early in the season, but the appearance kept him in the public eye after his NFL opportunities had slowed.

Sam also became a speaker on topics including identity, courage, adversity, masculinity, and inclusion in sports. His story has been used by colleges, corporations, and advocacy groups as an example of the pressure faced by athletes who do not fit traditional expectations of locker-room culture.

Michael Sam has spoken openly about the difficulties of growing up in poverty, dealing with family trauma, and trying to navigate fame after becoming a national symbol. His public coming out brought support, attention, criticism, and pressure at the same time.

Although his professional playing career did not become the long NFL career he wanted, Sam remains an important figure in sports history. His legacy is tied not to statistics or salary totals, but to a moment when he forced one of America's most conservative sports institutions to confront the reality that gay athletes were already part of the game.