JaMarcus Russell wrote a letter to NFL teams asking for second chance at career
Former LSU QB JaMarcus Russell hasn’t taken a snap in the NFL since 2009.
But that hasn’t killed the dream of a return for the No. 1 overall pick from the 2007 NFL Draft.
His three year career was derailed by ineffectiveness and a lack of conditioning, among other variables.
While he hasn’t reached Ryan Leaf levels of public ridicule, Russell is still the punchline to many NFL Draft jokes. And he hates that.
According to a report from Fox Sports, Russell has penned a letter to NFL teams accepting blame for the way that he conducted himself during a three-year stint with the Oakland Raiders.
He also makes an offer in the letter to run a scout team for free, both to gain experience in a modern NFL playbook and prove that he has what it takes to make a return.
Here’s a look at an excerpt from the letter, which was obtained by Sports Illustrated. Russell reportedly sent it to the Dallas Cowboys, among other NFL teams:
“I am writing this letter to reach out to the Cowboys organization and to express my desire and interest to become a part of your family. Let me begin by saying that if you are reading this letter, I am greatly appreciative of you taking time from your busy schedule to do so. Let me also say that I don’t write this letter with any preconceived notions of a huge salary or unseating your current starting quarterback. I am willing to work my way in and up. I am willing to lead the scout team for free for one year just to get experience in your system. I want to learn the playbook, sit under the proper tutelage and learn from your coaching staff. After that time, if you see fit to allow me to stay with the Cowboys organization, I would be eternally grateful.
“As a former NFL player, I understand the daily grind that football operations can be,” Russell wrote. “I am prepared to be physically examined and to have my football IQ evaluated. I would sincerely like an opportunity to come to Dallas and meet with you and the coaching staff. 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. I’ve been labeled as a bust, I have been labeled as lazy and I have been the target of many insults by the media. The blame for any negative press that I’ve received rests squarely on my shoulders.”
Let’s be honest, a return to the NFL is an extreme long shot at this stage of Russell’s life.
But at just 30 years of age, it’s not inconceivable that Russell could make a successful return to the game with the right workout regimen getting him into proper game shape.
His arm talent has never been an issue, and his attitude in the letter would certainly be a welcomed change.
Here’s a clip of the piece that Sports Illustrated is producing on Russell: