The father of former Missouri All-American defensive lineman Michael Sam claimed he was "terribly misquoted" by The New York Times in a story about his reaction to his son publicly coming out as gay.
Michael Sam Sr. told the Galveston Daily News in Texas that he never told the Times that he was "old-school" and a "a man and a woman type of guy," ESPN.com reported.
The 24-year-old NFL draft prospect revealed that he was gay in interviews with The New York Times and ESPN on Feb. 9. In a separate article, The New York Times quoted Sam Sr. as saying he "couldn’t eat no more" after his son told him via text message that he was gay. The Times also quoted Sam Sr. saying “I don’t want my grandkids raised in that kind of environment."
However, Sam Sr. told the Galveston Daily News that he "did not say anything about my grandkids" and he doesn't want the public to think he has problems with his son’s sexual orientation. The Time defended its reporting in an email to the Galveston paper, claiming that Sam Sr. was quoted "accurately and fairly," reported ESPN.
Sam, who is eligible for the 2014 NFL draft, is poised to become the league's first ever openly gay player.