Gary Russell (American football)
Encyclopedia
Gary Russell is an American football
running back
for the Oakland Raiders
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football
at Minnesota
.
Russell has also been a member of the Cincinnati Bengals
.
in Columbus, Ohio
.
at Minnesota
where in 2005, he went past the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the year totaling 18 rushing touchdowns while splitting carries with Laurence Maroney
. Prior to the 2005 season he played sparingly behind Marion Barber III
and Maroney.
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He saw limited playing time, rushing for only 21 yards on 7 carries, due to playing behind Pro-Bowl running back Willie Parker
and Najeh Davenport
.
Russell was waived by the Steelers on September 20, 2008 to make room for linebacker
Patrick Bailey
, who was promoted from the practice squad to active roster. Russell was re-signed to the practice squad on September 23. Russell was promoted to the active roster again after rookie running back
Rashard Mendenhall
was placed on injured reserve
. Gary was the Steelers main kick returner
and short yardage back after coming off the practice squad in 2008.
Russell rushed for a one-yard touchdown during the second quarter of Super Bowl XLIII
. He finished the game with two attempts for -3 yards and 1 TD on the way to his first Super Bowl Ring
.
He was released by the Steelers on April 16, 2009.
on April 17, 2009. However, he was released by the team just ten days later on April 27.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
.
Russell has also been a member of the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
.
Early years
Russell attended Walnut Ridge High SchoolWalnut Ridge High School (Columbus, Ohio)
Walnut Ridge High School is a public high school located on the far east side of Columbus, Ohio at 4841 E Livingston Ave near the I-70 and Hamilton Road exit...
in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
.
College career
Russell played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
where in 2005, he went past the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the year totaling 18 rushing touchdowns while splitting carries with Laurence Maroney
Laurence Maroney
Laurence Maroney is an American football running back who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots 21st overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Minnesota.-Early years:Maroney attended Normandy Senior High School in St...
. Prior to the 2005 season he played sparingly behind Marion Barber III
Marion Barber III
Marion Sylvester Barber III is an American football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Minnesota....
and Maroney.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Russell was acquired by the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He saw limited playing time, rushing for only 21 yards on 7 carries, due to playing behind Pro-Bowl running back Willie Parker
Willie Parker
"Fast" Willie Everette Parker Jr. is an American football running back for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at North Carolina...
and Najeh Davenport
Najeh Davenport
Najeh Trenadious Monté Davenport is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
.
Russell was waived by the Steelers on September 20, 2008 to make room for linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Patrick Bailey
Patrick Bailey
Patrick Bailey is an American football linebacker who is currently with the Tennessee Titans. He was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
, who was promoted from the practice squad to active roster. Russell was re-signed to the practice squad on September 23. Russell was promoted to the active roster again after rookie running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Jamal Mendenhall is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers 23rd overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Illinois....
was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
. Gary was the Steelers main kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
and short yardage back after coming off the practice squad in 2008.
Russell rushed for a one-yard touchdown during the second quarter of Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
. He finished the game with two attempts for -3 yards and 1 TD on the way to his first Super Bowl Ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
.
He was released by the Steelers on April 16, 2009.
Cincinnati Bengals
Russell was claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
on April 17, 2009. However, he was released by the team just ten days later on April 27.