Oprah Winfrey Network will air the exclusive documentary, “Michael Sam,” tomorrow night at 9 pm ET. Sam, the first openly gay player in NFL history, is currently out of football after being released by the Cowboys’ practice squad in October.
Following the documentary special, Oprah Winfrey will speak exclusively with Sam in his first television interview since being released by Dallas. The special episode of “Oprah Prime” will air at 10:30 pm ET.
This is the same documentary that was originally supposed to be a multi-episode series, but that plan was scrapped when Sam decided to focus on football. The new version is 90 minutes and gets up close and personal with Sam. He openly discusses a childhood filled with tragedy and poverty, as well as his emotional decision to come out as a gay man in the world of pro sports.
“Michael Sam” captures the moment when the St. Louis Rams made history by drafting Sam. It also documents the intense media scrutiny that immediately followed, and Sam’s struggle to stay focused despite the pressure and chaos. Veiwers will also get an inside look at Sam’s relationship with his boyfriend Vito and the challenge of balancing his personal life alongside his pursuit of NFL stardom.
ESPN’s NFL guru Adam Schefter reported last month that a few teams have been in contact with the free agent defensive end, but it appears Sam’s quest to play in a regular-season game will have to wait until at least next season.