The world found out on Sunday that NFL prospect Michael Sam is gay – his dad found out just last week.

Michael Sam Sr. tells The New York Times that he was out celebrating his birthday at a Denny’s restaurant outside of Dallas, Texas, when he received a text from his son containing three words: ‘Dad I’m gay.’

The birthday dinner was apparently ruined.

‘I couldn’t eat no more, so I went to Applebee’s to have drinks,’ Sam Sr. said. ‘I don’t want my grandkids raised in that kind of environment.’

‘I’m old school,’ he added. ‘I’m a man-and-a-woman type of guy.’

Still, Sam Sr. says he loves his son and he said he hopes he makes it to the NFL.

‘As a black man, we have so many hurdles to cross,’ he said. ‘This is just one he has to cross.’

The younger Sam is a defensive end who was considered the best defensive player in the best college conference in the US.

The father believes that all of this has Hall of Fame defensive end Deacon Jones ‘turning over in his grave.’