Michael Sam was back at practice for the first time in nearly three weeks, and according to the Montreal Alouettes defensive end, that was always the plan.

“I was always coming back,” Sam said. “I had to deal with personal matters when I was home so that’s all taken care of, now I’m back.”

When asked exactly what he had to deal with back home, the 25-year-old and first openly gay player chosen in the NFL Draft didn’t elaborate.

“For personal matters as I said before.”

Alouettes head coach Tom Higgins said he feels Sam’s time off, and dealing with his issues, did the pass rusher a lot of good.

“He worked some things out that needed to be settled and he comes back to me a much more determined athlete than he was when he was first here.”

Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal Gazette reported Friday the mixed emotions some of Sam’s teammates in Montreal were feeling about all the attention Sam garners, fair or not. Higgins said Sam smoothed things today.

“He asked if he could talk to his teammates and he was granted that permission. It was no longer than a minute, at our team meeting. I made the coaches get out and I excused myself. He wanted to talk to his teammates and he did. I asked a couple of players how it went and by all indications they respected what he had to say, they understood him a little bit better.”

“I think he earned a lot of respect for that,” Higgins added.

Moving forward, Sam says he’s focused on football and becoming a better CFL player.

“I was training in Dallas while I was away,” Sam said.

“When I was back at home there was a football field near my house, so I was (training) a yard off the ball and speed rushing.”

Both Sam and Higgins acknowledged the former SEC Defensive Player of the Year has work to do to contribute on a CFL roster.

“I need to adjust as a CFL player,” Sam said.

“I got better when I was in camp and I’m going to continue to get better.”

“He knows that he needs to work hard and get in shape,” Higgins added. “He’s here to practice and earn the trust of his teammates and so far so good. He’s been accepted back.”

The Alouettes take on the Calgary Stampeders Friday at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt on TSN.