Openly Gay Athlete Michael Sam finally broke his silence regarding former NFL head coach Tony Dungy's comment that he would not draft Sam if he was in charge of an NFL organization.

"It is what it is. What are you going to do about it?," said Sam to reporters on July 22, "Thank God he wasn't the St. Louis Rams coach. I have a lot of respect for Coach Dungy, and like everyone in America, everyone is entitled to their own opinions."

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1996-2001) and Indianapolis Colts (2002-2008) head coach Tony Dungy has been surrounded in controversy lately after he made the following comments regarding Sam being selected in this year NFL draft by St. Louis Rams:

"I wouldn't have taken him. Not because I don't believe Michael Sam should have a chance to play, but I wouldn't want to deal with all of it. [...] It's not going to be totally smooth...things will happen," said Dungy to The Tampa Tribune.

The 24-year-old college football star player recently came out of the closet prior to NFL Draft as he attempts to become the first openly gay player in NFL history.

St. Louis Rams head coach Jeff Fisher recently went on social media to discuss the controversy that surrounds his player (Sam) and Dungy.

"Let's define distraction. There were a couple extra cameras during the early OTAs, there may have been an extra camera yesterday as the rookies reported and went on the field for the first time, but no, it's not," said Fisher on July 23, "[Sam is] a very passionate athlete, he is very focused on trying to make this football team...We want to give Michael every opportunity, like I said over and over, to make this football team."

Dungy clarified his recent comments regarding Sam in another interview.

"I was asked whether I would have drafted Michael Sam and I answered that I would not have drafted him. I gave my honest answer, which is that I felt drafting him would bring much distraction to the team," said Dungy in a statement, according to TMZ.

"I was not asked whether or not Michael Sam deserves an opportunity to play in the NFL. He absolutely does. I was not asked whether his sexual orientation should play a part in the evaluation process. It should not. I was not asked whether I would have a problem having Michael Sam on my team. I would not."

The 55-year-old Michigan native further expressed his views in the same statement regarding Sam's recent drafting in the NFL.

"I do not believe Michael's sexual orientation will be a distraction to his teammates or his organization. I do, however, believe that the media attention that comes with it will be a distraction."

After Dungy's playing days as an NFL athlete (played for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1977-1978, then he played for the San Francisco 49ers in 1979), he was an assistant coach for many organizations before he finally landed a head coach position 18 years ago.

Dungy made history on February 4, 2007 when he became the first Black head coach to win the Super Bowl when his Colts squad defeated the Chicago Bears by 29-17 in Super Bowl XLI. Dungy is currently an NFL analyst for the NBC network.