Crusader

Former 2007 No. 1 overall draft pick JaMarcus Russell is training for an NFL comeback.

We'll wait until you stop laughing....

The former Oakland Raiders quarterback, who hasn't taken a single NFL snap since 2009, told Yahoo! Sports he's dropped from 320 pounds to 308 pounds and is ready to bury past criticisms.


"The last few years, the things going through my life, football is my job and it is how it feeds my family," he said. "People would say (that) I didn't love the game but that pisses me off. People don't know the real you but I want people to know the real me and see what I can do. People are always saying that I'm a bust. I want show them I'm not. I'm committed to this now."

According to the report, Russell will work out with a bevy of former NFL players including NFL Network's Marshall Faulk, quarterback Jeff Garcia and former Olympic track star Ato Boldon.

Russell's three seasons in Oakland were so disastrous he's been called the greatest bust of all time and the Raiders refused to give his No. 2 to Terrelle Pryor in 2011 when the rookie quarterback requested the number. Before being cut in 2010, Russell was replaced by Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye, then the Raiders traded for Jason Campbell to take his place.


The 27-year-old hasn't sniffed the NFL since getting tryouts with the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins in 2010, after he was arrested for possessing codeine syrup without a prescription. But he says he's ready to change the perception.

"I'm not looking for a pat on the shoulder from people who haven't been there for me," Russell said. "It feels funny not to go through a training camp, that's just what I'm used to. It's going to feel good to go back out there again. I will make this happen."

His biggest challenge will be to convince a team to give him a chance.

JaMarcus Russell preps for NFL comeback at 308 lbs. - NFL.com

Aaron Brooks wore #2 for the Raiders also, he must have jinxed that number for Russell

W.T. Sherman is my favorite General. After all he did order Atlanta to be burned to the ground.

papz

neugey

Look the dude's serious. He's down to one glass of purple drank a day.

QBREES9

Good Luck to him. Biggest bust in NFL History.

TheOak

He can block for Faulk

QBREES9

Does anyone think this will happen

Crusader

We need a DT don't we?

Beastmode

Reality show, Angolia prison guard maybe.

B005TED

LOLOLOLOL

Beastmode

I still don't see how he dupped all the scouts. He never had the apptitude to play QB. When the reports started coming in he could throw it 60 plus yards on his knees I knew where it was heading.