According to Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette, Alouettes General Manager Jim Popp said he’s unclear about the reasons Sam left the team prior to the first preseason game. He’s since been placed on the suspended list.
“There’s nothing to tell you. He wanted to go home, and that’s what he did,” Popp said. “I don’t know why. When a guy wants to go home, they go home. He had some personal things to take care of.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he returns. I’m surprised he left. I was very surprised. If he doesn’t come back, I would think football’s over for him. He’s the one that has to face that. But I don’t think he doesn’t want to play football. That’s why he came here.”
That certainly seemed the case, as the CFL presented an opportunity for an undersized pass-rusher that the NFL might not have. But the reasons here get more convoluted with each dispatch from north of the border.
Last Thursday, his agent replied to a reporter’s text by saying Sam had a migraine. Since then, the agent has gone quiet.
The paper quoted a team source saying Sam reacted to a comment from a teammate prior to his departure.
“All I know is I heard somebody made a comment about him, about how he wasn’t very good and wasn’t having a very good camp. He took it personally and was pouting in his room,” the source said. “It’s very strange. I have no idea what’s going on. He might have a personal issue.”
But Popp seemed willing to let him come back, if he wants to, and offered support to the former Missouri star.
“It’s a huge story because everybody keeps hounding and hounding and hounding. Michael Sam just wants to be a football player,” Popp said. “I would think anybody that’s 25 years old that has been going through it for a year and a half, it would have to affect him. I would think so. That’s one reason he didn’t want to do interviews and just concentrate on football.”
At least right up until the point when he didn’t, apparently.
Source: PFT.com
Author: Darin Gantt
Photo: USA Today Sports
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