Who is to blame for the bust that became of JaMarcus Russell? As the former No. 1 overall draft pick attempts to complete a comeback into the NFL, a lot of blame is being thrown around as to why he did not work out the first time around. According to Russell, he is the only person to blame for his failed career. However, according to quarterback mentor Jeff Garcia, the blame should be placed on the Oakland Raiders and their football system.
Garcia is aiding in Russell's comeback to the NFL. He is putting the now 27-yeard old through work outs and helping gain interest from teams who may be looking to add one more quarterback to their roster. Garcia said that while Russell was immature when he was first drafted, "a negative Raiders ecosystem" led to Russell walking away from a failed attempt at the NFL.
Russell was draft No. 1 by the Raiders back in 2007. As a starting quarterback, he went 7-18, throwing 18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. He spent three seasons with the team before ultimately leaving. Still in the California area, Russell is training at a local high school to get one more shot at a professional football career.
While Garcia was quick to place blame on the team, Russell says only himself is to blame for the word "bust" not being associated with his name.
"I blame myself. I could have given football more. I could have done more as a professional. There just could have been more film room, more classroom. I could have kept my weight down to become an overall better player. There's a lot that comes with that No. 1 pick. No matter what, you have to be willing to take it," Russell said.
Russell struggled with his weight during most of his career. At one point, he weighed close to 315 pounds. Now, he is down to roughly 276 and is continuing to drop the pounds. He has worked out six days a week in an effort to become the quarterback everyone thought he would pan out to be. While multiple teams have shown some sort of interest in Russell, no one has made the quarterback a formal offer.
At most, Russell will be a backup or No. 3 option. He would have to make it through training camp to even be an option for a team. Russell says he is past personal and financial issues that have held him back in recent years and he is ready to focus on the path that now lies ahead.
"Now I know what to do, I can bring a lot as a leader. It's about getting into the right situation with a coach who would love to teach me to be that quarterback."
