Former no. 1 overall pick quarterback JaMarcus Russell is looking for another chance to play in the NFL. In 2013, Russell tried to make a comeback, working out for the Chicago Bears but nothing came from it.
Russell was drafted first overall in 2007 by the Oakland Raiders and touted as their franchise quarterback. Russell did not live up to the franchise quarterback moniker. Over his three-year career, he only completed 52.1 percent of his passes, along with 4,083 yards, 23 interceptions and 18 touchdowns.
Russell’s best year with the Raiders was in 2008, where he passed for a career-high 2,423 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. In 2010, Russell hit rock bottom when the Raiders released him.
For his recent attempt at a comeback, Russell reportedly sent letters to NFL teams last season asking for another chance. In a video done by Sports Illustrated, they showed a letter that Russell sent to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. In the letter, Russell wrote to Jones, “I am willing to lead the scout team for free for one year just to get experience in your system.”
Also in the letter to Jones, Russell acknowledges his past and wants leave a better legacy than he did when he was released in 2010.
“I know that my name does not carry much weight in the NFL right now, but I am more than the image that others have bestowed on me,” he wrote. “I’ve been labeled as a bust, I have been labeled as lazy and I have been the targets of many insults by the media. The blame for any negative press that I’ve received rested squarely on my shoulders. … My tribulations have humbled me. I am a better man because of my struggles, and I simply desire an opportunity [to] redeem myself. I do not want my legacy to be a trail of unfulfilled dreams and missed opportunities.”
It will be interesting to see if Russell does get another chance in the NFL. As he said in the Sports Illustrated video, “God makes things, happen for a reason. I can be a water boy and work my way into a scout team. It doesn’t matter. I’ll go play for free.” If Russell can sling the ball around the field like he did when he was coming out of LSU, then he may get an opportunity somewhere. Russell’s story of redemption can be a good, if it comes true.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
