Jamarcus Russell Says He Liked Kiffin

Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell was caught off-guard when the team's owner, Al Davis, said earlier this week that the former coach Lane Kiffin was against drafting Russell last year.

Russell, the first overall pick in 2007, felt he had a strong relationship with Kiffin and said the two often joked with one another. They worked together closely during the off-season and into training camp, and would routinely exchange text messages after games.

“It just kind of came out of nowhere,” Russell said Thursday of the statement that Kiffin did not want to draft him. “I really don't think myself or Coach Kiffin or anybody else were looking for that to come out that way.”

Davis made the claim during a news conference Tuesday in which the Raiders announced the firing of Kiffin “for cause” and promoted his replacement, the offensive line coach Tom Cable.

Oakland used the first pick on Russell, who missed off-season workouts and training camp during his rookie season while in contract negotiations. He eventually signed a $61 million contract, but did not play until late in the season and started the finale.

Russell was given the starting job this past off-season. At one point in the off-season, Kiffin telephoned Russell to give him a hard time when reports circulated that Russell's weight had ballooned to 300 pounds.

Russell did not watch the news conference announcing Kiffin's firing and acknowledged he was disappointed by the move. He also defended Kiffin's decision to bring him along slowly as a quarterback, a move that has been criticized as the Raiders got off to a slow start this year.

“I appreciate the opportunity he gave me to play in the National Football League,” Russell said. “I wish for him to go out and get him a job, because he's a good guy, a good coach. I don't look for him to sit around long; he should be able to get a job somewhere.”

 

 

 

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