What is JaMarcus Russell doing now? Former Raiders QB’s life explored

JaMarcus Russell's name will always be among the biggest draft busts in NFL history. He was picked first overall in the NFL Draft in 2007 by the Oakland Raiders. He barely lasted three seasons with them and never played in the league after the 2009 season.

His career remains a big what-if. Utlimately, he was led down by his lack of performance and work ethic and off-field issues. In his entire NFL career, he ended up with just 52.1% completion rate and a 65.2 passer rating. He had just 18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

All of that could have been corrected but he never got the guidance, according to him. He said, appearing on the Pivot podcast,

"At LSU, my coach (Nick Saban in 2004, and Les Miles in 2005 and 2006) wanted to coach me... [They] wanted me to do well. Others around me as well. In Oakland, I didn't feel that. [Quarterbacks coach] John DeFilippo and [Offensive coordinator] Greg Knapp wanted me to succeed, but once we had a coaching change, everything switched. I didn't feel like they were there for me."

However, it has to be said that there were missteps along the way. His work ethic was questioned as he gained significant weight. After he was arrested in 2010 for possession of codeine, he later revealed that he had tested positive for the substance right after being selected in the NFL Draft.

Those were indeed dark times for him but it seems he has drawn himself out of the spiral. Today, based on latest reports, he has gone back to where it all started. He is back at Williamson High School in Alabama and acts as their quarterback coach.

JaMarcus Russell is a school legend. He passed for 10,774 yards in his career, which is still an AHSAA (Alabama High School Athletic Association) record. He again credited Nick Saban for being an inspiration to him, saying,

“However many kids we have on our team, every morning, I go and individually give each one of them a handshake, or dap, whatever it may be, I’m going around to each one to talk to ’em and jive around but on the practice field, it’s different. I’ve been around Nick Saban, bro. So I know what it’s supposed to be, what it’s supposed to look like in order for you to win."

It is a far cry from where JaMarcus Russell was in his playing career. He said he did not get the coaching support he felt he deserved and now he is giving back to his school in the way he would have wanted to be treated.

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JaMarcus Russell: Did he really fail?

Today, JaMarcus Russell is widely regarded as someone who failed to make it in NFL. However, his story is incomplete if seen only in the context of his NFL career. As mentioned before, he remains a stalwart high school and college footballer.

He became only the second black quarterback to be selected first overall, after Michael Vick. Given the way black quarterbacks have historically been sidelined in the NFL, he helped push the boundaries.

Last season, we saw Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts become the first pair of black quarterbacks to start in the Super Bowl. This year in the NFL Draft, we saw three black quarterbacks selected in the first four picks. It is far cry from the time when Hall-of-Famer Warren Moon went undrafted.

It is perhaps within that context we must look at JaMarcus Russell. Quite clearly, he did not live up to his potential. Situational issues coupled with his own failings doomed him from having a successful NFL career. But he did break down doors on his way to the NFL. Just as he is doing coaching new high school quarterbacks today.