"To them, I was always just a n****" - NFL Draft bust JaMarcus Russell blasts Raiders for ill-treatment
Former NFL quarterback JaMarcus Russell was drafted as the first-overall pick by the Oakland Raiders in the 2007 NFL draft. Coming out of LSU, he was regarded as one of the top prospects and was expected to excel in the NFL, especially after leading the Tigers to a National Championship title.
The quarterback only lasted three seasons in the NFL and is considered one of the biggest busts of all time. He ended his career with 18 touchdowns, 23 interceptions and 4,803 passing yards. He completed just 52.1 percent of passes and never lived up to the hype he had received coming out of college.
Russell recently spoke withThe Players’ Tribune about his time in the NFL and blasted the Raiders, saying they never cared about him.
Here's what he said:
“They saw all the jewelry, the way I talked, the way I dressed, my grammar—and they only saw one thing. To them, I was always just a n****.”
Russell finally reached his breaking point during a team meeting, lashing out after being mistreated by an assistant coach. He never started another game for the Raiders after his outburst.
“Those coaches didn’t give a damn about me—not as a player and damn sure not as a person. All they cared about was winning. And I wasn’t winning.”
JaMarcus Russell also said he didn't like painkillers so he "sipped" instead
Part of the reason why Russell struggled was because of how he took care of himself. On July 5, 2010, Russell was arrested at his Mobile, Alabama home for being in possession of codeine syrup without a valid prescription..
On the subject, he said:
“I shouldn’t have been sippin’ like that in the NFL. I should have been in better shape. I should have been more of a student of the game. I got to live with my mistakes.”
He added:
“I never liked painkillers. In college and the NFL, they were handing that s--- out like Skittles. But I didn’t like the way it made me feel. So I handled it my way... You know what’s crazy to me? If I had three or four pills in my pocket, nobody would have batted an eye.”
After his career with the Raiders, the quarterback sent letters to teams asking for a tryout, including that he would play a year for free.
JaMarcus Russell is looking for another chance. Here's his letter to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. https://t.co/bF8FRkKHCY
Dive into the excitement of the NFL Draft 2024 with our NFL Draft Simulator. Craft your own mock draft, make strategic picks, and experience the thrill of being in control. Shape the future of your favorite team with our immersive NFL mock draft experience.
Sadly, nobody responded to his plea and the quarterback never got a chance again to revive his career. The NFL can be a harsh place at times as the highs are balanced by the lows and a career can end in an instant.
It's good to hear the former quarterback's story as it will undoubtedly be useful to more than a few players in the NFL's past, present and it's future.