Michael Sam Speaks at Quinnipiac, Tells Students He's Not Giving Up NFL Dream (Video)

In case you missed it... Michael Sam stopped by Quinnipiac University for a discussion with students this week.

Read more below:

Since publicly revealing that he was gay, just prior to last year’s NFL Draft, Michael Sam has attained celebrity status — he was recently announced as a contestant on the upcoming season of “Dancing with the Stars” — even though he has yet to play a game in the NFL.

However, Sam told a crowd of about 600 to 700 Quinnipiac students that he’s “going to keep fighting” to realize his dream of playing in the NFL, according to Luther Turmelle of the New Haven Register.

Sam spoke to the students for nearly 90 minutes, including a question-and-answer period, as part of the event “Opening Locker Room Doors, An Evening Dialogue with Michael Sam,” at the Burt Kahn Basketball Court Tuesday night.

Sam, who played college football with the University of Missouri, became the first publicly gay player to be taken in the NFL Draft when the St. Louis Rams selected him in the seventh round in 2014. He was cut by the Rams at the end of training camp and also spent time on the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad before being waived.

Turmelle reports that during the discussion at Quinnipiac, Sam came across just like any other recently graduated college student that is nervous about what he will do for a living. But he was grateful that he doesn’t have to hide his true self.

Sam recently wrote on Facebook that while he’s very excited to be a part of “Dancing with the Stars,” a camera crew from the show was at Quinnipiac Tuesday night to record his talk with students, football “remains my unquestioned number 1 priority, however, while I continue to train and stay ready, I am ecstatic to participate in a fun, athletic competition like so many players before me have done.

“Filming this offseason is very flexible and allows me to be part of the veterans combine 3/22 if accepted or any other workouts.”

Read more about Sam’s discussion with the Quinnipiac students at the New Haven Register here.

Michael Sam photo via Dancing with the Stars/ABC

Video courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics