Photo courtesy: St. Louis Rams

The first openly gay player in CFL history is continuing his coaching career with a new team in Europe.

Michael Sam has joined the Berlin Thunder of the American Football League of Europe as their linebackers coach. It is his sixth team since returning to the sport internationally in 2022.

The 36-year-old signed with the Montreal Alouettes in 2015, following an appearance on Dancing with the Stars. He was expected to contribute to the team’s defensive line, but left training camp ahead of the first preseason game due to personal reasons. He returned to the team ahead of the regular season, dressing for the first and only time in the Alouettes ‘ sixth game of the season against the Ottawa Redblacks. He was held off the stat sheet and would leave the team a week later, citing mental health struggles.

Sam came out publicly in a now-famous interview with ESPN prior to the 2014 NFL Draft and was ultimately selected 249th overall in the seventh round by the St. Louis Rams. In four exhibition games, Sam recorded 11 tackles and three sacks, but was released by the team as part of their final cuts. His NFL career ended after a brief stint on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad.

Prior to coming out, Sam had an illustrious career at the University of Missouri, racking up 123 tackles, including 36 tackles for loss, 21 sacks, six forced fumbles and two interceptions. As a senior in 2013, Sam recorded 11.5 quarterback sacks on his way to being named co-Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year, alongside Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley. He was a unanimous All-American selection that season.

The six-foot-two, 261-pound pass rusher returned to the sport of football seven years after his retirement from the CFL, joining the Barcelona Dragons of the European League of Football as an assistant coach in 2022. He would later suit up for the team, appearing in 12 games and recording 34 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and nine sacks — good for sixth in the ELF.

Sam has since had coaching stints with the Pinto Gold Bats in Spain, the Wroclaw Panthers in Poland, the Porto Velho Miners in Brazil, and the Clermont-Ferrand Servals in France.

The AFLE is one of two startup leagues beginning play in Europe this year, following the financial collapse of the ELF. It includes four former ELF franchises in the Thunder, Panthers, Rhein Fire, and Vienna Vikings, plus a number of new organizations, including the Alpine Rams, Paris Lights, and Firenze Red Lions. Future teams in England and Monaco are also rumoured.

Founded in 2021, the Thunder went a combined 26-32 across five seasons in the ELF and made the playoffs just once. Canadian Jag Bal served as the team’s inaugural head coach and returned to the role in 2025, but was not brought back after a 3-9 final season.

The AFLE has not yet unveiled a schedule for their inaugural season.