Michael Sam, the first openly gay player to be drafted by an NFL team, will play for the Montreal Alouettes this season.

The team announced the signing, a two-year deal, Friday afternoon.

“With the signing of Michael Sam, we have become a better organization today,” said the Alouettes’ general manager Jim Popp in a statement. “Not only have we added an outstanding football player, we have added even a better person that brings dignity, character, and heart to our team.”

Popp told The Canadian Press Sam's sexuality is a non-issue.

Sam, a defensive end, played college football at the University of Missouri, where he came out to his teammates in order to quell rumours about his sexual orientation.

Leading up to the 2014 NFL Draft, he did interviews with ESPN and the New York Times about his sexuality.

The 25-year-old Galveston, Texas native never played in a regular season NFL game. He was selected in the fifth round (249th overall) by the St. Louis Rams during the 2014 NFL Draft. In four pre-season games with St. Louis, Sam collected 11 tackles and three sacks.

He was cut from the Rams and last September was added to the Dallas Cowboys' practice roster. He was eventually cut from that team as well.

CFL commissioner Jeffrey Orridge welcomes Sam into the fold Friday.

"Congratulations to the Montreal Alouettes on the signing of Michael Sam," Orridge said in a statement. "Our players come to us from different places, different walks of life and ultimately they take different paths to get to our fields.

"Today is another indication of how open and progressive the CFL is -- consistent with our rich and storied history of great football tradition."

Popp said the key to landing him was patience.

"Each time he was let go there were discussions," he said. "He wanted to give it one last shot at the combine."

Popp said Sam was considered a "tweener" by NFL clubs, not quite the right body type to be a defensive end or an outside linebacker for that league, but he may fit perfectly in the CFL.

Popp said he feels Sam can follow a similar path to Cam Wake, who was converted from linebacker to rush end when he joined the B.C. Lions in 2007.

Wake had 40 sacks and was named CFL defensive player of the year in each of his two seasons with the Lions before signing with the Miami Dolphins, where he has had a successful NFL career.

"If he proves (NFL) people wrong it would be great for us and I think he can do it," said Popp.

Sam will be officially introduced at a news conference Tuesday in Montreal.

-- with files from The Canadian Press