--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Was it a risky move? Yes, but at that…" description: "\"Was it a risky move? Yes, but at that moment, the reason why I came out is I thought it wasn't going to be a big deal. Maybe I was naive. Maybe I thoug..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/michael-sam-20718_athlete_was-it-a-risky-move-yes-but-at-that-mome_927142.jpg" --- # Was it a risky move? Yes, but at that moment, the reason… ![“Was it a risky move? Yes, but at that moment, the reason why I came out is I thought it wasn't going to be a big deal. Maybe I was naive. Maybe I thought it was 2014, and people will understand that there's gay NFL players. There's gay athletes everywhere. But I was clearly wrong. It was a huge…” quote by Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/michael-sam-20718_athlete_was-it-a-risky-move-yes-but-at-that-mome_927142.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/michael-sam-20718_athlete_was-it-a-risky-move-yes-but-at-that-mome_927142.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/michael-sam-20718_athlete_was-it-a-risky-move-yes-but-at-that-mome_927142.jpg) > “Was it a risky move? Yes, but at that moment, the reason why I came out is I thought it wasn't going to be a big deal. Maybe I was naive. Maybe I thought it was 2014, and people will understand that there's gay NFL players. There's gay athletes everywhere. But I was clearly wrong. It was a huge deal.” [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on underestimating the backlash of being openly gay in professional sports, realizing the cultural resistance was larger than expected. **In simple terms:** He thought being gay in sports would be accepted, but faced huge opposition. Key Takeaway Recognize societal attitudes may differ from personal expectations. Themes identity sports social acceptance media culture Mood reflective cautious Type personal narrative social commentary When to use this quote - coming out - team dynamics - public statements - media coverage Key Concepts LGBTQ+ visibility public perception risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - How do personal beliefs clash with societal norms? - What strategies help navigate unexpected backlash? A Different Perspective Even with personal confidence, external prejudice can amplify challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Nfl players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nfl-players/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [All in all it's a pretty great day for major league sports. At long last they've decided that gay people are fit to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/all-in-all-it-s-a-pretty-great-day-for-major-league-sports-at-long/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [It's important for closet gay athletes everywhere, not just at the professional level, but more importantly athletes at the younger level in high school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-fujita/it-s-important-for-closet-gay-athletes-everywhere-not-just-at-the/) [Scott Fujita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-fujita/) > [When 'Legend' came to me, I was down. I thought my career was over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jagapathi-babu/when-legend-came-to-me-i-was-down-i-thought-my-career-was-over/) [Jagapathi Babu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jagapathi-babu/) > [“She said every bird in the air came from a thought of God, and so did I.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/she-said-every-bird-in-the-air-came-from-a-thought-of-god-and-so-did-i/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [Before I came out, the thought of someone calling me gay, even when I knew very well that I was, was petrifying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troye-sivan/before-i-came-out-the-thought-of-someone-calling-me-gay-even-when-i/) [Troye Sivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troye-sivan/) > [I just want to know if I'm truly not in the NFL, it's because of talent. Let it be because of my talents. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/i-just-want-to-know-if-i-m-truly-not-in-the-nfl-it-s-because-of/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [The players who have reached out to me and told me about their sexual orientation, it just means a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/the-players-who-have-reached-out-to-me-and-told-me-about-their-sexual/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [I'm unemployed, and I don't believe I'm out of the NFL because I'm gay, but if it was a reason, it can hurt their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/i-m-unemployed-and-i-don-t-believe-i-m-out-of-the-nfl-because-i-m-gay/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [But I will never say anything about who they are, what teams they are on. I'm just saying there's some famous people, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/but-i-will-never-say-anything-about-who-they-are-what-teams-they-are/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [Hate when guys say 'No homo.' We all understand and you being gay was the last thing to cross my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hate-when-guys-say-no-homo-we-all-understand-and-you-being-gay-was/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“being gay is not about what we do; it’s about who we are. 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People want to be represented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheyenne-jackson/i-understand-why-the-gay-community-wants-to-embrace-actors-who-are/) [Cheyenne Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheyenne-jackson/) > [I don't understand why gay people are so anxious to get married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-margolyes/i-don-t-understand-why-gay-people-are-so-anxious-to-get-married/) [Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/) > [If I was a woman, I would spend the whole day kissing other women, I don't understand gay men or straight women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/if-i-was-a-woman-i-would-spend-the-whole-day-kissing-other-women-i/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) ## More by Michael Sam > [I wish you guys would just say, 'Michael Sam, how's the football going? How's training going?' But it is what it is. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/i-wish-you-guys-would-just-say-michael-sam-how-s-the-football-going/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [I needed football - it was just something to do, an excuse to not be at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/i-needed-football-it-was-just-something-to-do-an-excuse-to-not-be-at/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [If I want to kiss my boyfriend, I'm gonna kiss him. If they want to film it, that's their problem. Don't be mad at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/if-i-want-to-kiss-my-boyfriend-i-m-gonna-kiss-him-if-they-want-to/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [My family was very notorious in the town that we lived in. Everyone would say, 'There goes those damn Sams.' I didn't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/my-family-was-very-notorious-in-the-town-that-we-lived-in-everyone/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [I just want to know if I'm truly not in the NFL, it's because of talent. Let it be because of my talents. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/i-just-want-to-know-if-i-m-truly-not-in-the-nfl-it-s-because-of/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [It has all happened so quickly, but it's exciting, I just wanna get back to playing football you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/it-has-all-happened-so-quickly-but-it-s-exciting-i-just-wanna-get/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [I just want to make sure I could tell my story the way I want to tell it. I just want to own my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/i-just-want-to-make-sure-i-could-tell-my-story-the-way-i-want-to-tell/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [I'm Michael Sam, I'm a football player, and I'm gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/i-m-michael-sam-i-m-a-football-player-and-i-m-gay/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [The players who have reached out to me and told me about their sexual orientation, it just means a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/the-players-who-have-reached-out-to-me-and-told-me-about-their-sexual/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [I'm not afraid to tell the world who I am. I'm Michael Sam: I'm a college graduate. I'm African American, and I'm gay. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/i-m-not-afraid-to-tell-the-world-who-i-am-i-m-michael-sam-i-m-a/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [Great things happen when you have the courage to be yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/great-things-happen-when-you-have-the-courage-to-be-yourself/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [I am an openly proud gay man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/i-am-an-openly-proud-gay-man/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [The most worthwhile things in life rarely come easy, this is a lesson I've always known. The journey continues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/the-most-worthwhile-things-in-life-rarely-come-easy-this-is-a-lesson/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [A straight person doesn't have to go in the media and tell them that they're straight, and I don't think a gay person should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/a-straight-person-doesn-t-have-to-go-in-the-media-and-tell-them-that/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) > [To anyone out there especially young people feeling like they don't fit in and will never be accepted, please know this, great things can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sam/to-anyone-out-there-especially-young-people-feeling-like-they-don-t/) [Michael Sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) [Explore all 30 Michael Sam quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sam/) ## More Athlete quotes > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [I have no physical genius about me. 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