Ryan Russell (LA’14) was born January 17, 1992, in Carrollton, Texas. In high school, he was named defensive MVP for his football team.

At Purdue, he played defensive end during the 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons. While studying sociology, he played 50 games for the Boilermakers, compiling 149 total tackles and 10 sacks. After graduating, Russell played one season for the Dallas Cowboys and two seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Russell made history in August 2019 when he wrote an essay for ESPN where he came out as bisexual, the first active player in the NFL to indentify as part of the LGBTQ community.

In his essay, Russell shared:

“Today, I have two goals: returning to the NFL, and living my life openly. 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.

“Those two objectives shouldn’t be in conflict. But judging from the fact that there isn’t a single openly LGBTQ player in the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball or the NHL, brings me pause. I want to change that — for me, for other athletes who share these common goals, and for the generations of LGBTQ athletes who will come next.”

Russell is currently a free agent, public speaker, poet, and blogger.