For the first three seasons of Ryan Russell’s NFL career, the defensive end felt he couldn’t truly be open about who he was off the field.
No longer. In a powerful first-person essay published on ESPN on Thursday, Russell came out publicly as bisexual.
“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 said, as told to ESPN writer Kevin Arnovitz.
“Today, I have two goals: returning to the NFL, and living my life openly. 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,” Russell continued.
“Those two objectives shouldn’t be in conflict. But judging from the fact that there isn’t a single openly LGBTQ player in the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball or the NHL, brings me pause. I want to change that — for me, for other athletes who share these common goals, and for the generations of LGBTQ athletes who will come next.”
Russell has played three seasons in the NFL — one in Dallas after being drafted by the Cowboys in the fifth round in 2015 and two with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — and spent the 2018 campaign on the sidelines after recovering from off-season shoulder surgery.
If the 27-year-old lands on an NFL roster, he would be the only open LGBTQ player in the NFL and across all four of North America’s major men’s professional sports leagues.
Russell says he’s seen former teammates come out in college or after their pro careers are over and hopes that by him living openly and honestly that it will encourage others to do the same.
“The best version of myself, the best partner, the best friend, the best teammate, is one that’s open and honest. Next, it will be a signed player, then a Pro Bowler, then a Super Bowl champion who embraces who he is publicly,” said Russell.
“I feel as though this could be a step toward that future.”
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