OAKLAND – With training camp just around the corner, Oakland superstar JaMarcus Russell says he fully plans to extend his reign as the NFL’s preeminent passer by winning the title of “Most Valuable Player” for a third straight season.
“That’s my goal, definitely,” said Russell, while taking a break from one of his customary four-hour workouts. “I want another MVP trophy, I want another league passing title, and of course, I want to win another Super Bowl. It’s why I put in all these hours lifting weights, running laps, studying film. It takes a lot of hard work to be the best, and I’ll be damned if anyone’s going to work harder than me.”
The five-time Pro Bowler, whose practice and study habits are matched only by his fierce dedication to proper diet and conditioning, has dominated the league since being chosen first overall by the Raiders in the 2007 draft. Russell shattered numerous rookie passing records en route to leading Oakland to the playoffs that season, and the mega-talented signal caller has only elevated his play since then.
“He’s redefined the game of football,” said Aaron Rodgers, whose Packers were trounced by Oakland 42-7 in Super Bowl XLV, a game in which Russell threw for 420 yards and 5 touchdowns. “Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, myself, we’ve all spent the past five years desperately trying to study and emulate JaMarcus’ success. But clearly, none of us are in his class as a quarterback. He’s just scary good.”
“Coming out of LSU, I heard some of the negative things people said about me,” Russell recalled. “They claimed I had a tendency to get lazy, and that I wasn’t mature enough to handle the pro game. They said I’d eventually gain a ton of weight and eat myself right out of the league. Some scouts even predicted I’d go down as one of the biggest draft busts in history. Well I’ve been using their criticism and doubt as motivation throughout my career. And I think it’s safe to say I’ve proved them all wrong, huh?”
