Michael Sam has revealed that he is determined to forge a career in the NFL despite his release by the St Louis Rams.
The 24-year-old became the first openly gay player in the NFL when he was selected by the club in the seventh round of the 2014 Draft.
However, Sam failed to make the 53-man roster for the 2014 season, despite some promising performances during pre-season.
Sam wrote on Twitter: "I want to thank the entire Rams organisation and the city of St Louis for giving me this tremendous opportunity and allowing me to show I can play at this level.
"I look forward to continuing to build on the progress I made here toward a long and successful career.
"The most worthwhile things in life rarely come easy, this is a lesson I've always known. The journey continues."
Sam was voted as the co-defensive MVP of the SEC when playing for the Missouri Tigers in the 2013 season.
