Jeff Fisher refutes report that Rams drafted Michael Sam to avoid appearing on ‘Hard Knocks’

Rams Coach Jeff Fisher on Thursday denied a report that said the Rams drafted Michael Sam in 2014 to avoid appearing on the HBO television show “Hard Knocks.”

Howard Balzer, citing unnamed sources, wrote on the “590 The Fan” website in St. Louis that the NFL agreed not to ask the Rams to appear that year on “Hard Knocks” if they drafted Sam, the former Missouri defensive tackle who was the first openly gay player readying for the draft.

The NFL announced Wednesday that the Rams will be featured on “Hard Knocks” this summer.

Fisher, appearing on ESPN’s national “Mike & Mike” radio show, said the report regarding Sam was “absolutely absurd.”

“It’s 100% incorrect,” Fisher said. “I was really taken aback by those comments. It’s insulting, from my standpoint, as it relates to Michael.

“We had three seventh-round picks. We drafted Michael, he was the best player on the board. Who in their right mind would think that you give up a draft choice to avoid doing something like that, something that I think that would benefit the organization?”

The Rams cut Sam, who signed with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He left the team in 2015 for personal reasons.

Fisher said the report regarding “Hard Knocks” was “really unfair” to Sam.

“Michael worked so hard,” Fisher said. “He was the best player on the board.

“He worked so hard to try to make this football team. Obviously, we had a good defensive line. But really not fair to Michael because of all the hard work he put in as well.”

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