A former Dallas Cowboys player has made an announcement this week that is sure to shock the football world. When you think of a football star, there is a certain stereotype that comes with it. Ryan Russell is trying to break free from that stereotype and be true to himself.
He made the decision to come forward after interviewing and trying out for an NFL team. He said that would be the last tryout he went on where he wasn’t being completely honest with the teams looking to recruit him.
Ryan Russell had two major announcements this week – that he was bisexual, making him the first openly LGBTQ+ professional athlete, and that he was in a relationship with a man.
Russell wrote an article published on ESPN’s website this morning that went into his sexuality, his career, and what they mean to him as a player and a person.
In this, he says that he has not exactly “lied” to fans, teammates, and coaches, but “withholding information is a form of deceit”. He goes on to explain that he wants the rest of his career and his life to be “steeped” in honesty and trust, not in lies or half-truths.
The fact that there is not a single openly LGBTQ+ player in any major sport gave “him pause”, but Russell wants to change that not just for himself, but for others in his position. He believes he can’t be the only one who feels the need to hide himself to play the sport he loves.
Russell and his partner, Corey O’Brien, both shared the same picture on Instagram, though Russell’s was in black and white. Russell captioned his post with a poem, though O’Brien had a more personal approach.
He said he “couldn’t be more proud” of Russell for speaking his truth as both a player in the NFL and “as my boyfriend”. Russell commented on a picture with just one word – “Mine”.
O’Brien is a professional dancer and has performed with stars like Mariah Carey, P. Diddy, Nas, and Iggy Azalea. He has also done fitness modeling and has been featured in magazines like O and Seventeen.
Russell is currently a free agent looking for a team. He was recruited from Perdue in 2015 and spent a year with the Dallas Cowboys. He spent 2 more with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and has played a total of 23 games with both teams.
He sat out all of the 2018 season due to a shoulder injury, but he says he is ready to get back to work and believes he can still perform at the highest level for the NFL.
Time will only tell if his announcement helps or hurts his career.
