Subscribe
Follow Us
NFL free agent defensive back Ryan Russell recently came out as bisexual, and in a brand new piece on ESPN narrated by Russell himself, he noted that while the league has issues, he doesn’t think having LGBTQ players is one of them.
“There are a lot of problems in the world, and a lot of issues facing the NFL,” Russell says. “And I can say with confidence that LGBTQ players having the comfort to be themselves, date who they want, share parts of their life with friends and teammates will not rank among those issues.”
As Russell attempts to make a comeback to the NFL, he noted that his main goal now is to live as openly as possible.
Article Continues Below“Have I lied to teammates, coaches, trainers, front-office executives and fans about who I am?” Russell said. “Not exactly. But withholding information is a form of deceit. And I want the next part of my career – and life – steeped in trust and honesty. During the season you spend more time with your team than with your own family; truth and honesty are the cornerstones of a winning culture. My truth is that I'm a talented football player, a damn good writer, a loving son, an overbearing brother, a caring friend, a loyal lover, and a bisexual man.”
Russell, 27, was selected in the fifth round (163rd overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, but was cut after just one season.
From there, he played two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, starting in seven of his 14 appearances during his final season, but only registering 17 tackles and two sacks. Russell missed the entirety of the 2018 season after being cut by the Buffalo Bills.
Russell seems to imply in his statements that he knows coming out as an LGBTQ player could harm his chances of being picked up, noting that there isn’t a single openly LGBTQ player in any of the four major sports.
However, Russell still hopes to make it back into the league and finally be true to himself and all those around him, and only time will tell if that will happen.
