JaMarcus Russell, a former Oakland Raiders quarterback, faced both legal and professional troubles after his NFL career. He had a tumultuous career with the Raiders, completing just 52.1% of his passes with 18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. Despite his struggles on the field, Russell was drafted first overall in the 2007 NFL Draft.
However, Russell’s legal troubles began when he was arrested for possession of codeine syrup without a valid prescription in 2010. He admitted to testing positive for codeine after being drafted by the Raiders. In recent years, Russell had been working as a volunteer coaching assistant at Williamson High School in Mobile, Alabama, where he grew up.
Despite his best efforts to give back to his community, Russell was removed from his coaching position after he deposited and cashed a $74,000 check that was intended as a donation to the school. The check was provided by Chris Knowles of Selwonk Enterprises, a local building company. Knowles stated that Russell approached him for the donation but failed to provide a receipt or return calls after cashing the check.
Now, Navigator Credit Union is suing Russell for $55,000 that they claim was lent to him. Russell has filed a counterclaim against Knowles for stopping payment on the check and maintains his innocence. His attorney declined to comment on the ongoing legal case. Despite these challenges, Russell remains determined to clear his name and move forward with his life beyond football.
