For athletes of all levels across America and the rest of the world, sports are about competition, character building and the camaraderie of teamwork.

For those lucky enough to compete in collegiate or professional athletics, sports are a way of life and often a profitable career. The culture of the sporting world extends beyond just the players in the game and the scoreboard; Fans live and die by their teams, uniting with others over shared love for the game. Countless TV networks and websites are devoted to sports analysis, and the amount of money in the business for top team executives is staggering. Whether you love or hate of sports, there is no escape from contact with sports culture in everyday life.

What exactly is sports culture and what effects does it have on the lives of fans, players and others? As a college football player, I can answer this question with a focus on the game of football specifically.

From its sheer popularity across the country, football is something I believe almost everyone can relate to in some way. Whether it’s playing, knowing someone who plays or played, watching NFL games, hearing about football in the news, etc. As a player, I have learned that while football certainly teaches great work ethic and develops interpersonal skills required to succeed in life, it also requires a certain mold of personality that is not very flexible.

The stereotypical football player with a chiseled body, tough mind set and stoic attitude is something that such a rough sport inherently breeds and that coaches look for when building their squads. Because of this homogeneity, football teams tend to have exceptional chemistry, but also create a divide with the rest of the population. Many feel detached and opposed to this culture, and there certainly exists a stigma against football players among certain groups of people.

In the NFL, the sense of elite brotherhood between players across the league is as strong as ever, nurtured by the sameness of personalities. One might think that entrance into this brotherhood of macho warriors for an openly gay individual is impractical, and it is unprecedented as far as we know. The challenges that individual might face from certain fans, officials, players and coaches could create some serious emotional damage. Not to mention all the media pressure and spotlight the spectacle would entail.

Well, none of this fazes Michael Sam, the 255-pound defensive end from the Univ. of Missouri aiming to be the first openly gay player drafted into the NFL. A closer look into Sam’s past life reveals how he became the strong, courageous individual he is today and why he does not fear what lies ahead of him.

Sam prides himself on where he comes from and the struggles he endured to achieve success. Sam’s path to prominence was by no means cut out for him. Rather, the Missouri star was forced to persevere through continuous tragedy. Growing up in a small Texas town, Sam was the seventh of eight children. His parents separated early in his childhood, making the management of such a large family even harder on Sam’s mother. Today, Sam’s actions not only represent himself, but all of his siblings who have been less fortunate in life. As a child Sam watched one of his older brothers die from a gunshot wound. Another brother went missing in 1998 and was never found. Two other brothers are imprisoned, and a sister that was born before Sam died in infancy. Sam argued so much with his mother over playing football that he spent a portion of high school living in a bedroom at a classmate’s house. Contrasting Sam’s accomplishments today (first generation college student, All-American, and Co-SEC Defensive Player of the Year, to name a few) with the troubles of his past proves that Sam is a fighter and an individual who knows how to conquer his personal adversity.

Sam’s biggest challenge yet might be just around the corner, and I think he is more prepared than ever. Becoming the first openly gay NFL player is not only a personal issue but also a monumental step for gay athletes everywhere and for the NFL to show acceptance for a new kind of football player. Every movement needs a leader, a figurehead to look up to, and Sam has stepped into that role for gay athletes. As his journey continues, Sam must own his moment rather than let the moment control him.

The reality is that the media will focus on the Texas native’s sexuality more than his football ability, because that is what makes Sam different. His job is to deflect that focus onto his ability as a football player and how his sexuality does not make him any different than the next NFL player.

Just like all NFL prospects, Sam worked tirelessly at the game of football to put himself in a position to make the coveted NFL. He studies the same game film, lifts the same weights, puts on the same pads and if that wasn’t hard enough he must now succeed even with people rooting against him. He is a trailblazer who attracted fans as well as haters with a simple announcement regarding his sexuality.

In attendance at a Missouri-Tennessee basketball game recently, Sam received a standing ovation from the crowd. This is a young man who has a chance to alter the culture of football. A football culture that is seemingly impossible to alter. Even gay non-athletes can root for Sam to break through as a catalyst for progressive change in other industries.

As Sam said himself standing tall in his first interview with his future employers at the annual NFL combine, “I just wish you guys would see me as Michael Sam, the football player, instead of Michael Sam, the gay football player.”

The player himself is only one half of the equation. The NFL must seize this chance to show support for a gay athlete and use Sam as an opportunity to move on from negative controversies around the league that have surfaced in the past. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is constantly disciplining players for drug usage, misconduct on the field and other more serious infringements.

It’s a shame that people will often look past a player involved in a shooting or sexual harassment case, but show concern over a gay player. If the NFL and Goodell pass no judgment on Sam’s sexuality, and instead act strictly as his indifferent employers, it will help calm the storm surrounding Sam. It’s time the NFL made the news for a positive reason.

At the smallest level, it’s one gay football player. At a larger level, it’s NFL culture and the stereotypes of football. At the biggest level, it’s the gay community across America and the world. Sam is becoming a household name for his courage and mission to make an NFL roster. He has a large support group, and maybe an even larger group against him. His sexuality is no longer his own business; it is now the talk of a nation.

Sam’s acceptance may not come easily, but if there is anything that his battle-tested character can prove, it’s that Sam is the up to the task.