Former NFL No. 1 pick subject of suit over missing donation
Chris Knowles of Selwonk Enterprises told WKRG-TV in Mobile that he wrote a $74,000 check to former NFL No. 1 draft pick JaMarcus Russell for weight-room equipment at Williamson High School. But Simone Eli of the Mobile station reported the Port City school didn’t receive the money.
Eight months after the check was cashed by Russell, Navigator Credit Union filed a lawsuit against the former quarterback in Mobile County Circuit Court seeking to be awarded $54,826.08, plus attorney fees, punitive damages and the costs of the proceeding, according to court documents.
The matter has not reached trial.
A prep star at Williamson who was an assistant coach for the Lions during the events that led to the current situation, Russell was removed from the football staff during the 2023 season, WKRG-TV reported.
Court documents say Russell deposited and cashed a $74,000 check “on or about July 25, 2022.” Knowles told WKRG-TV he stopped payment on the check when Russell would not provide a receipt of the donation. Navigator Credit Union’s court filing says payment was stopped “resulting in an overdrawn account” and that Russell owes the credit union $54,826.08 “for money paid to the defendant by mistake on or about July 25, 2022.”
Navigator Credit Union’s lawsuit was filed on March 29, 2023.
As Williamson’s quarterback for four seasons, Russell capped his prep career as a Parade All-American, Alabama’s Mr. Football and the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Class 5A Back of the Year in 2002. He also was an All-State selection in 2000 and an honorable-mention pick in 1999 and 2001.
At LSU, Russell compiled a career passer rating of 147.9 and capped his third college season by being named to the All-SEC team. After closing his career by passing for a career-high 332 yards in a 41-14 victory over Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, he received the Manning Award as the nation’s top quarterback.
The Oakland Raiders used the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NFL Draft on Russell. After holding out through his rookie training camp, Russell signed a six-year, $61 million contract with the Raiders.
Russell completed 354-of-680 passes for 4,083 yards with 18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions for a passer rating of 65.2 in 31 games and had a 7-18 record as a starter before Oakland waived the quarterback on May 6, 2010.
Although his career ended after three seasons, Russell’s contract included $35 million in guaranteed money, and the Raiders paid him $39.365 million.
During an appearance on “The Pivot” podcast on July 12, 2022, Russell said anyone who thinks he has spent all his NFL money is way off-base.
“I ain’t the richest guy out there, and I ain’t the poorest either,” Russell said. “My life is good. …
“I’m far from (broke), and I’ll never be that. This (expletive) is so long, it can get your kids and your kids something. How about that? I got good friends. Like I can’t never be that. I got great friends. If I needed something, they’ll pull up.”
Russell returned to Williamson in 2018 to help coach the Lions’ quarterbacks.
At the time, Russell told AL.com’s Ben Thomas: “It’s special to come back to my school where it all started for me. It’s a different generation now. I went to school with some of the parents of these kids. So that’s a neat part of it from that side of things.”
Russell described Williamson as a “special place” in the 2018 interview.
“When you wear that Williamson jersey, you aren’t just representing you, you are representing everyone who came before you,” Russell said. “It was the same way when I was playing here. Williamson means a lot to a lot of people, and I just want to help keep the program on the rise.”
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.