Report: JaMarcus Russell aiming for comeback
Three years removed from his last NFL game, JaMarcus Russell is eyeing a comeback.
Russell, a quarterback who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft, told Yahoo Sports that he plans to get back in shape in an effort to land another job in the NFL.
He was released by the Raiders following the 2009 season, his third disappointing year in Oakland, and he hasn't been back in the league since.
"My first year out, I couldn't watch football but after a while, I couldn't keep the TV off. I got that itchy feeling but now I gotta watch it, gotta watch," Russell told Yahoo Sports. "The last few years, the things going through my life, football is my job and it is how it feeds my family.
"People would say (that) I didn't love the game but that (ticks) me off. People don't know the real you but I want people to know the real me and see what I can do. People are always saying that I'm a bust. I want show them I'm not. I'm committed to this now."
According to Yahoo Sports, Russell is receiving guidance from ex-NFL wide receiver Mike Clayton, a fellow LSU product, and he plans to consult with former NFL players Jeff Garcia, Scott Brunner and Marshall Faulk. Russell reportedly weighs 308 pounds, down from 320 last year. His playing weight was listed at 265.
Russell, 27, last made headlines in 2010 when he was arrested in Mobile, Ala., on suspicion of possession of codeine syrup without a prescription. However, he was never indicated in the case involving the so-called "purple drank."
In 25 starts for the Raiders, Russell posted a 7-18 record. He completed 52.1 percent of his passes for 4,083 yards. He threw 18 touchdown passes and was intercepted 23 times.
