Michael Sam, Defensive End for the CFL, appeared on "MSNBC Live with Thomas Roberts" (weekdays, 1pmET) today, May 26, 2015, to discuss joining the CFL and being compared to legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson.

"I mean, I’m not the first gay athlete out there," Sam told host Thomas Roberts. "I don’t really—understand why I’m being compared to Jackie Robinson, to be honest with you."

Roberts, an openly gay news anchor, also pressed Sam to see if the move to the CFL was influenced by Canada’s "advanced rights for the LGBT community."

"Even when I was in the NFL, I was treated as a professional," Sam said. "And I expect that here – to be professional, and just to talk about football."

Below are excerpts of the interview from "MSNBC Live with Thomas Roberts"

THOMAS ROBERTS: As we look at Canada as a country, they are one of the best in the world in terms of advanced rights for the LGBT community. Did that have any influence on your decision - how you’d be treated as a football player and not having to be known as the ‘first gay NFL football player to have gay in your title all the time’?

MICHAEL SAM, DEFENSIVE END, CFL: Well I mean, I think I will have that title probably wherever I go.Even when I was in the NFL, I was treated as a professional. People – my teammates and the coaches – they always was talking about football. They never really was talking about my sexual orientation. And I expect that here – to be professional, and just to talk about football.

ROBERTS: a lot of people, Michael, a lot of articles and a lot of stories have compared you to Jackie Robinson. Robinson being the first African American to play in Major League Baseball. How do you feel about your own legacy being compared to that legacy and knowing what you’re doing for so many young people and changing perceptions?

SAM: Well I don’t really know—understand why I’m being compared to Jackie Robinson since Jackie Robinson – what he did for the African American community, being the first standout. But for myself, I mean, I’m not the first gay athlete out there, so I don’t really don’t see—understand why I’m being compared to Jackie Robinson, to be honest with you. I understand I’m the first gay pro-athlete in football to come out. But I mean, there’s still a lot of us out in the league inside—a lot of guys come out after they’re done playing so I really don’t wish I was being compared to Jackie Robinson.