Ryan Russell is making headlines in the sporting world after he openly admitted that he’s bisexual. LGBTQ members are rare in the NFL, and in the sporting world as a whole, so Russell’s decision no doubt took a lot of courage to pull off.
In an essay that he wrote, Ryan Russell said that his decision is swayed by his need, to be honest with himself and the league. He also said that losing his best friend to cancer and suffering severe depression were also factors that contributed to his decision.
Ryan Russell joined the Dallas Cowboys in 2015, played two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and missed most of the 2018 season due to a shoulder injury. Now, he’s looking to join a team, intent at pursuing his dreams of being one of the top NFL players without hiding who he really is, ESPN reported.
Ryan Russell explains why he came out
"Pursuing a career in the NFL is such an intense challenge that I began to compromise my personal world — and my personal happiness. Though I confided in close friends and family and gave myself permission to date both men and women discreetly, I deprived myself the basic privilege of living an open life,” Ryan Russel said.
A team has apparently expressed interest in signing him but ultimately decided they didn’t need to shore up the position that he’s playing. Despite the rejection, Ryan Russell said that he’s confident that he presented himself well that day and promises that the interview will be the last time that he hid from anyone. The veteran continues that he wants the next team to sign him knowing full well who he is.
Ryan Russell’s decision is a significant milestone for the LGBTQ community
In a world where the LGBTQ community is fighting for equal rights, Ryan Russell coming out is a significant step forward, especially since he’s also part of professional sports. As for how the NFL took Russell’s honesty, the league has yet to respond as the story is still fresh. The 27-year-old shared his story with ESPN through a personal essay, detailing the mindset behind his decision and the struggle of hiding himself from his teammates.
