In a piece written for ESPN, former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Ryan Russell announced that he is a “bisexual man.”
Russell, who has been without a team since being released by the Buffalo Bills last year, took to ESPN to announce his hope for continuing his thus far short NFL career. The 27-year-old noted that he recently spoke to a team that may be interested in taking him on as a free agent for the coming season.
But the Texas native also took the occasion of his op-ed to talk about his sexual proclivities.
“I feel the organization believes I have the skills and character to contribute to their success. What they know about me, they like — but there was one very important detail about my life they weren’t familiar with,” Russell wrote in the August 29 piece.
“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.
The player, who had short stints with the Cowboys, the Buccaneers, and the Bills between 2015 and 2018, said that he came out because he was tired of hiding his sex life. Well, if not exactly hiding it, withholding it which he said, is “a form of deceit.”
Coming out is a way to clear the air, the Perdue grad said. “And I want the next part of my career — and life — steeped in trust and honesty. During the season, you spend more time with your team than with your own family; truth and honesty are the cornerstones of a winning culture.
“Out of love, admiration, and respect, I want the next team to sign me valuing me for what I do and knowing who I truly am,” Russell wrote.
With this part of his life now in the open, Russell is sure that he is ready to give his all to another NFL team this season.
“Today, I have two goals: returning to the NFL, and living my life openly,” Russell confided. “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.”
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.