ASU lineman comes out publicly as gay

Arizona State offensive lineman Chip Sarafin has come out publicly as gay, the first Division I football player to do so.

Sarafin told Tempe-based Compete magazine that he came out to teammates in the spring.

"It was really personal to me, and it benefited my peace of mind greatly," the 6-foot-6, 320-pound redshirt senior told the magazine for its August issue.

Former Missouri defensive end Michael Sam publicly revealed his homosexuality in February after the season was over. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in May, becoming the first openly gay player on an NFL roster.

In January, Division III Willamette University kicker Conner Mertens became the first active college football player to announce he was gay.

[SportsNetwork.com]