Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy would not have the same attitude as the St. Louis Rams' front office. Dungy would not have draftedMichael Sam.
"I wouldn't have taken him," Dungy told the Tampa Tribune. "Not because I don't believe Michael Sam should have a chance to play, but I wouldn't want to deal with all of it. It's not going to be totally smooth ... things will happen."
Dungy's comments will be scrutinized, but his opinion likely reflects how a lot of coaches felt about Sam's pro prospects. Dungy, unlike many coaches, feels comfortable enough to be honest with the media. (Even if not wanting to "deal with all of it" feels like an easy way out.) The Rams, after all, took Sam with one of the final picks of the draft, so it's not like many teams were jumping at the chance to bring Sam aboard.
So far in St. Louis, the transition to the pro game for Sam has looked smooth. Sam's teammates have not expressed one issue.
"There's a 90-man roster right now," St. Louis wide receiver T.J. Moe said of Sam, his former college teammate. "It doesn't go 89, and then Michael Sam's over there -- this is the gay team, this is the straight team. Michael Sam is on this team and he's treated just like anyone else."
The latest "Around The League Podcast" shines a light on the most unpredictable teams entering the 2014 season.
