The first pick in the 2007 draft continues to be serious about a 2013 comeback.
Monte Poole of the Bay Area News Group explains the efforts JaMarcus Russell is undertaking to get back to the NFL. He’s working out at the TEST West Football Academy in San Diego, and former NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia is helping with footwork, passing, and conditioning.
Folks from Russell’s hometown are firmly in his corner. “If he goes anywhere — the Jets, Miami, wherever — we’ll be with him,” Mobile, Alabama barber Reginald Payton told Poole. “Just get on a team. We don’t care which team.”
Another local barber says Russell is coming back for pride. “He said they took his manhood,” Tre Hern explained. “It’s not about money. He’ll play for nothing.”
We’re not sure how anyone other than Russell took Russell’s manhood. The deeper problem is that Russell took the money — a lot of it — and never really did anything. And when other teams started sniffing around Russell following the Raiders’ decision to sever ties, Russell didn’t exactly demonstrate a high level of motivation. At least one NFL team visited with him several years ago, asked him to go outside and show off his arm, and he declined.
Now, at age 27, Russell is trying to regain whatever it is that he lost during a brief NFL career. In a league that is desperate for quarterbacks, it’s hard to think he won’t at least get a chance to show what he can now do.
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I wonder what the local barbers in my town think about this. Why was this barber survey limited to his hometown?
One of the worst “QB’s” the world has ever seen, yet better than anything the Chiefs have.
I’ll take a wild guess and say he’s broke?
I’m sure the browns will pick him up
Good fit for the Jets?
He is still nearly two years younger than Brandon Weeden.
Did they just go around Mobile interviewing barbers??
Please go away Jamarcus.
Manhood for $32 million and the opportunity to ruin a franchise. Russell does not deserve any more chances in the NFL.
Sounds to me like he’s out of money…….
Is he coming back as a QB or an offensive lineman. I thought he ballooned up to 325 pounds.
The Browns need someone to take Frostee Rucker’s spot. Come on in JaMarcus.
Translation: JaMarcus Russell must have spent all the millions he made already.
I was never a big JaMarcus fan, but I hope he succeeds just so the author of this article can eat his cynical words.
He’d look great in a Jets uniform.
“Russell is trying to regain whatever it is that he lost during a brief NFL career.”
About 150 pounds?
Until I hear him say, It was all on me. I wouldnt trust this fool with a golf ball at a pitch and put… Nobody feels sorry for you Russell..
One cheeseburger at a time …
Not getting my hopes up but I’m rooting for a strong comeback out of this one.
Perhaps I’m not looking at this the right way, but I fail to see how he’s the victim.
Garcia said he just didn’t look crisp.
The only way I’d hire this guy is if he agreed to be paid on a game-by-game basis…with the check cut at the END of the game.
You can’t fix stupid. Therefore he’ll never be a starting nfl QB again.
If money doesn’t mean anything to him can I have my $80 back for his stupid jersey?
The Chiefs should pick him up how much worse could he be than what they already have?
If Jamarcus has the support of a handful of local, Mobile AL barbers then I am sure he is finally, truly ready to be back in the NFL
Cincinnati will be the team that signs him
Florio, did you get something in return for writing a puff-piece about that clown Russell?He just doesn’t have it upstairs, everybody knows he is nowhere.
The drank stole his manhood. And laziness.
Is there any way fans of the other 31 teams in the league can get together and ensure that he goes to the Jets?
Maybe, just maybe, this guy has changed. I doubt it, but if you’re a team, why not invite him to camp? And if he shows up late for practice once, waive him.
couple funny things…one its obvious he needs money and never was that invested in football in the first place. two, if you’re working to get back in the league would you really want Jeff Garcia to be the guy training you?
As a tackle? Guy to eat all leftover food at the facility so there’s no waste? Use his body to block the media from watching practice?
Is this the best story you got, he doesnt have a chance to comeback. He couldnt make it when he was at the top of his game and now…
He needs to go to Canada for a couple of years and learn to be a professional qb first and then teams can give him a shot.
You don’t have to play for free. Just pay back the Raiders the money that you stole.
No one will sign him maybe next year if he continues to work out he’ll end up with the jets
We need a backup QB on our flag football team J-Russ?
Yeah, the game took his manhood…or maybe it was codeine
Stay focused JaMarcuss!
I hope he succeeds. I know he probably acted like an idiot at times but not every story is to be believed. Not everyone gets a chance at the NFL let alone second chances but not every body’s 6 foot 6 with a rocket on their shoulder
What a complete waste of size and talent!!! This guy had potential to be Big Ben with Flacco’s arm, but made some horrible life decisions smh. All his decisions are on him, but you have to put some accountability on the people that surrounded him during his downfall for not stopping him from ruining his career and life. Crazy thing that will forver haunt this guy…is the fact that he held out to start his career because he felt like he ws worth more than what he was…that is probably one of the main reasons why the NFL changed the rookie wage scale
I wish him well…Andy would take a chance on him in KC…
jests need a QB. The Dolphins already have one- that is all.
So what is the league minimum on a lazy overweight security guard these days?
Give the man a break! All of us have made bad choices at sometime or sometimes in our life and he made his too! Maybe he wishes to recapture his “Manhood.”
“Russell is trying to regain whatever it is that he lost”?
He should actually lose what he’s gained, 60 lbs.
“He’ll play for nothing.”
–Still crickets.
He got paid. I can’t feel bad for him.
As much as he set the Raiders back, I wish him the best. Hope he can keep his head on straight and do something positive for himself and others.
please please please go to the jets. that would be so much fun to watch.
this is a pretty big build up for an april fool’s prank.
if this was the first comeback attempt, then you could maybe cut him some slack…unfortunately for him, its not. plus, who the hell wants a “comeback” to his numbers…if you ever watched the comedy of errors that was jamarcus russell play ball, you should be getting anxiety attacks reading this. he makes sanchez look “elite”
.as a jets hater that is
Good for him, Drew Brees looked worthless for a bit there as well.
Is he under 300 pounds yet? That would be the real sign that he’s serious.
good for him that he’s cleaned himself up, probably better than the chiefs or browns options at qb
It wasn’t all Jamarcus’ fault. Just take a look around All of his receivers and offensive coaches are out of the NFL except for Knapp(how he’s still in the NFL-I don’t know).
He had the worst coaches and supporting cast. Too bad he didnt have the work ethic so the blame could have been placed on the right people.
Somehow I don’t think his entourage would appreciate it if JaWalrus played for free. How are they going to get paid to cause trouble and make it rain at “scrip” clubs?
I have to believe that he’s better than Ponder.
Nobody cares. Really.
I’d give him a shot. Invite him to training camp to see if anything has really changed for the better. Russell could be successful, but a lot needs to change first. Number one would be to show that he has rid himself of the laziness. Number two, prove that he can learn what ever is thrown into his lap. Showing that he still has a rocket for an arm will help out his case. Add in accuracy and he’ll be on the right path. It couldn’t hurt to at least check if there is a possibility that he could play again. You never know, weirder things have happened.
If he is serious, he’s worth a look by some QB-needy team. There are certainly enough of them right now.
He never killed anybody, and he never electrocuted any pit bulls. All the guys who did that have gotten second chances, so why not him? His only crime was wasting Al Davis’s money.
If this guy had a brain, or a good agent, they would have turn this into a reality show so whether he makes it back or not, he’ll get some money out of it.
This guy is nothing but wasted talent. Million dollar arm and a 10 cent head.
His is a sad cautionary tale. He squandered his big chance and his big money.
Best he can hope for is to be signed to a practice/development squad. That way he can demonstrate that his work ethic has improved and that he is worthy to play QB in the NFL
Well the laugh I had after reading this sure woke me up this morning.
Pats will sign him and groom him to be Wilfork’s replacement.
I think he will go back to Oakland, I think Mark Davis is a nice guy who has a soft spot for former players and will give JaMarcus a chance
This is the kid I wanted Al to take #1, so it’s on me too I suppose. He set the franchise back 5 years. But I still can’t hate the guy and hope he can get it together. He has a game similar to Flacco, but with an even bigger arm.
I think to Green Bay. They need an assistant greens keeper to mow the Practice field.
I have no sympathy for this guy. Love or hate the Raiders, Al Davis went on record to say that they tried to fix this guy but he could not be fixed because of his addiction (sirzzup). Jamarcus simply didn’t want help because he’d already been paid. Lane Kiffin wanted to draft Calvin Johnson over Russell, which said something at the time. Tom Cable supposedly gave Russell a CD, and told Russell to study it as the game plan was on it. When Cable asked Russell if Russell had studied the CD, Russell answered yes. According to sources (Tim Kawakami), the CD was blank, and Cable made Gradkowski the starter. Russell may have matured now that he is probably broke, but you cannot teach work ethic. Russell cashed in on one great game against Notre Dame. He had all the talent in the world, and he pissed it away. If he wants to make things right, he should give back Oakland whatever money he has left and offer to take up a spot on the O-line. Classic Bum.
For 30-plus million, they can take my manhood.
Maybe if I studay hardar next yaer I will bee able to bee a rcohket scientist!
The guy doesn’t get it. It had little to do with his arm, even though he came into camp with an ass bigger than a Minnesota Snow Shovel, it was ALL about not being able to read the complicated defenses the Pro’s pose. Some get it and some don’t.
Tr
Russell says “they” took his manhood! Heck, he flung it at them freely with both hands, that way they were both free to take his money and run…….ummm, waddle away. If he makes a comeback, he should have to repay the money the Raiders wasted on him. He ranks among the biggest busts ever in football, and tops the list of the most selfish and indulgent!
All jokes aside, the bottom line here is if the dude works his butt off and takes this seriously, he’s going to get a job in this league.
Too many teams need depth at QB so if he really commits to football, he’s going to get signed.
If he doesn’t get signed, we’ll know it’s another example of this fat turd throwing away his gifts.
Regarding the article, using the words “JaMarcus Russell” and “working” in the same sentence got my attention. Then the phrase “doing it for pride” got me to laugh.
florio, you should mention the other times he tried to come back…like how his life coach john lucas actually quit on the comeback kid
he will sign with any team, as long as their is a buffet table with all you can eat in that town….leave it to monte poole to write this article….there is no gray with him…it’s always black and white.
JR should be in top shape before he makes any announcement……that should be a given…..
I kinda get the feeling he’s not there yet, so………Forgetaboutit.
I love Jamarcus Russell posts because they let me read and say sizzurp and purple drank….two of the funniest words in the English lexicon.
The words Jamarcus Russel and work should never be used in the same sentence. It’s an oxymoron.
He was never suited for an NFL offense.
Hes perfectly suited for slinging chicken sandwiches and those delicious minis as a Chick Fil A counter clerk. And he’ll get meal discounts and purple drank breaks so he doesnt wither away under 300 lbs…..Aaaaahhh, life is so good.
I never thought I’d say this, but my former favorite player needs to take a lesson from JaMarcus Russell: Vince Young, grow up, dude, take responsibility for your past mistakes and start working your butt off to get back in the league.
I’ve been having one heck of a morning, and needed a good laugh. Thanks all!!
Personally, even though the guy was lazy and a drug addict, I feel he was screwed from the start. He was one of youngest QB’s with Greg Knapp as coordinator. He showed flashes at times but with no running game he was set to fail. I think with some motivation (no money, pride, etc) and a good scheme, he may be a productive QB. Pay him league min on a one year deal and see if he can redeem himself. Worth a look in my estimation…
coltzfan166 says:
Cincinnati will be the team that signs him
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Not enough felony arrests yet.
“Took away his manhood”??? If there’s one thing JaMarcus proved in his brief NFL career, it’s that he has zero understanding of what it means to be a man. You can’t have something taken away from you that you never possessed in the first place. JaMarcus needs to ACHIEVE manhood before he’ll ever be any kind success, in football or in life. Until he figures that part out, he’ll always be a failure.
I would rather sign Nipsey Russell as my back up.