The Sad Story of the Raiders DT Darrell Russell

The Las Vegas-Oakland-Los Angeles Raiders have had some great defensive linemen during their 63 seasons, including Howie Long, Greg Townsend, Ben Davidson, Tommy Kelly, Tom Keating, Chester McGlockton, John Matuszak and more, including Maxx Crosby these days.

One player who should be on that list, and showed some great flashes, was defensive tackle, Darrell Russell.

The Raiders made the 6-5,325-pound Russell the second overall pick of the 1997 National Football League Draft out of USC. After making 44 tackles and 3½ sacks as a part-time player as a rookie when he was named to the Pro Football Weekly All-Rookie Team, his career took off in his second season.

Russell made 64 tackles, ten sacks, forced three fumbles, and recovered one while starting all 16 games for the Raiders; he was named first-team All-Pro and was selected to play in the Pro Bowl.

That continued the following season when Russell had another stellar performance, recording 45 tackles, 9.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery. He was again chosen to the All-Pro team and made his second consecutive Pro Bowl appearance.

Russell’s agent, Leigh Steinberg, predicted, "He’s on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”

However, Russell never again reached those heights.

Said tackle Lincoln Kennedy, Russell’s former teammate with the Raiders: “He was a big kid like me and a great player who had a big heart. He couldn’t say no to anybody. That’s what had a big deal with his demise, especially in the NFL, because he couldn’t let his friends go, from San Diego. He couldn’t let his past go.”

Russell was an All-American at St. Augustine High School in San Diego before attending USC. He won the 1996 Morris Trophy as the best lineman on the West Coast after recording 19 tackles for losses as a senior for the Trojans. An all-around athlete who played tennis and soccer, he ran the 40-yard dash in an astounding 4.8 seconds for a man his size and was twice made the All-Pacific 10 Conference first team.

However, his career with the Raiders suddenly went downhill after he failed a drug test in 1999, which his lawyer attributed to “second-hand smoke,” Russell was later suspended for four games in 2001 for a second violation, this time for failing to be tested.

Russell again tested positive for a banned substance and was given a one-year suspension that wiped out his 2002 season, and the Raiders released him. In September of 2002, Alameda County prosecutors dropped rape charges against Russell, claiming they could not prove he videotaped a woman being raped by two friends.

“Obviously, losing Darrell is a huge blow," Raiders cornerback Eric Allen said. “But I don’t think it's the right thing to comment, because I don’t really know exactly what’s happened. I’ll have to wait and let the team handle it.”

Raiders senior front office assistant Bruce Allen said, “He had some very good years here and showed all the promise we had hoped for. But because of his well-documented problems, we decided it was better he try to rejuvenate his career elsewhere.”

After being released by the Raiders, Russell served two league suspensions over the next 1½ years before playing eight games in 2003 for the Washington Redskins. Unfortunately, the positive drug tests kept coming, and the NFL suspended Russell indefinitely. His positive drug test in 2004 was his seventh infraction of the league’s drug policy.

Russell was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and attended training camp in 2004, but was released before the end of camp and never played a game for the Bucs.

Tragically, it all ended for Russell while riding in a car driven by former USC teammate Mike Bastianelli, who was going more than 100 miles per hour. The car went out of control and hit a curb, a tree, a newsstand, a fire hydrant, a light pole, another tree, and an unoccupied transit bus on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Russell and Bastianelli were unconscious when firefighters reached them, and both, aged 29, died in the hospital.

A half-empty bottle of vodka was found in the car.

The Raiders are expected to be significant players in the free-agent market this offseason.

Please tell us your thoughts when you like our Facebook Page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.