No. 66 – New England Patriots | |
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Position: | Defensive end |
Personal information | |
Born: | Canberra, Australia | 8 June 2003
Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
Weight: | 239 lb (108 kg) |
Career information | |
High school: | Palm Beach Currumbin (Currumbin, Queensland, Australia) |
Undrafted: | 2024 |
Career history | |
| |
Roster status: | Active/international |
Jotham Russell (born 8 June 2003) is an Australian professional American football defensive end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). Previously a rugby league player, he joined the NFL through the International Player Pathway Program (IPPP) in 2024.
Russell was born on 8 June 2003 in Canberra, Australia. [1] [2] He is of Nigerian descent. [3] He grew up playing multiple sports, including gymnastics, soccer and Little Athletics. [2] At age 10, he moved to the Gold Coast, Queensland and began playing rugby league, after a coach noticed his size and suggested he try out the sport. [2] [4] Playing as a front-rower, he joined the academy for the National Rugby League's Brisbane Broncos as a teenager and later switched to playing wing. [2]
Following two years in the Broncos academy, Russell played for the Currumbin Eagles and later with the Tweed Heads Seagulls U21 squad. [3] He was noted by ZeroTackle.com as having "impressed plenty" with the Seagulls and being able to play both prop and in the backline out wide, where he "regularly found the tryline doing so." [5] He was prepared to sign a contract with the Canberra Raiders in 2023 before receiving an opportunity to play American football. [2]
Russell had sent National Football League (NFL) scouts film of his rugby highlights while the league was scouting Australia for potential players. [2] Noted for his size, 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and 240 pounds (110 kg), he was considered as having the potential to be a talented pass rusher and received comparisons to players such as Von Miller and Fred Warner. [4] [6] He was invited to tryout for the NFL Australia camp, and after success there, was chosen in January 2024 as one of 16 players for the 2024 International Player Pathway Program (IPPP) class, designed to give foreign players opportunities in the NFL. [7] [8] [9] He was one of two Australians chosen, along with Patrick Murtagh. [9] Russell spent 10 weeks training with other IPPP prospects at IMG Academy in Florida, describing learning American football as being "like learning a new language." [7] To help learn the sport, he brought a PlayStation and downloaded Madden NFL . [7]
Russell was eligible for the 2024 NFL draft along with two other IPPP prospects, but was not selected. [10] [11] Afterwards, he was signed by the New England Patriots on 13 May 2024 as an undrafted free agent, following a successful tryout at the team's rookie minicamp, to play defensive end. [12] [13] [14]
Wayne James Bennett, also known by the nickname "Benny", is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of the Dolphins in the National Rugby League (NRL), and has previously coached the South Sydney Rabbitohs, the Brisbane Broncos, the Newcastle Knights, the St George Illawarra Dragons, the Canberra Raiders, the Queensland Maroons State of Origin team, the NRL All Stars and the Australian Kangaroos national team as well as the England and Great Britain national teams.
The Runaway Bay Seagulls is a rugby league club based on the northern end of the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. They play out of Bycroft Oval and their colours are Navy Blue, Red & White.
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Palm Beach Currumbin State High School is a co-educational public school, in the Gold Coast suburb of Currumbin, Queensland, Australia. PBC is Queensland's southernmost coastal High school and caters for a large catchment area of students.
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The International Player Pathway Program (IPPP) is a program run by the National Football League (NFL) to increase the number of players from outside the United States or Canada in the NFL. The program was formed as part of the NFL's strategy to grow globally as it provides athletes with the opportunity to play in the league. Its aim is to increase the pool of talent and ultimately drive global fan growth.
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