The Dallas Cowboys signed defensive end Michael Sam to their practice squad, according to reports Wednesday.
NFL Network reported that Sam will practice Wednesday.
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was expected to announce the signing at his press conference at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Sam, a seventh-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Missouri who thrust himself into the spotlight after becoming the first NFL player to openly say he’s gay, was cut by the St. Louis Rams last weekend.
Sam, a Hitchcock, Texas, native, arrived in Dallas Tuesday night to take a physical.
“It has all happened so quickly, but it’s exciting, I just wanna get back to playing football you know,” Sam said Tuesday night, according to ESPN.com. “I haven’t had chance to speak to any of my family yet, not even my mom, but I will. I never followed the Cowboys growing up because I never had a team. I am a fan of defenses and Dallas need some help, that’s why I’m going.”
The Cowboys’ defense gave up the most yards (6,645) in their history last season and the third most in NFL history.
Sam was not included on the Rams’ 10-player practice squad roster that was finalized Monday after final cuts to the 53-man roster limit last weekend.
“It was a football decision and it was no different than any other decision that we make,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “It was a football decision back in May to draft Mike. And once again, it’s been all about football. I will tell you this: I was pulling for Mike. I really was. I don’t say that very often, but Mike came in here and did everything that we asked him to do.”