Former Cowboys Draft Pick Ryan Russell Comes Out as Bisexual
By Parker White
Back in 2015, the Dallas Cowboys selected defensive end Ryan Russell in the fifth round of that year's draft. After playing just one year in Dallas, he moved on and played the following two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Russell is currently a free agent looking for his next team, and before that can happen, he wanted to be as open as possible about everything in his life, including his admission that he's a bisexual man.
NFL veteran free agent Ryan Russell opens up on his sexuality in a first-person essay to @kevinarnovitz: https://t.co/bUKezbx4Cz pic.twitter.com/B5HEyBUQjb
— ESPN (@espn) August 29, 2019
"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 wrote in his first-person essay on ESPN.com
Not only does Russell want to return and continue his career in the NFL, but he wants to do so by living his life openly and honestly.
Ryan Russell, former fifth-round pick and current NFL free agent, comes out as bisexual:
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) August 29, 2019
"I want to live my dream of playing the game I’ve worked my whole life to play, and being open about the person I’ve always been."
(via @kevinarnovitz)https://t.co/sPZOnY5yOz pic.twitter.com/uSlUxwRnwo
Whether he returns to the NFL remains to be seen, as the 27-year-old missed the entire 2018 season due to a shoulder injury. In 23 career NFL games (seven starts), Russell has racked up just 21 combined tackles and three sacks.