Former Brisbane Broncos development player Jotham Russell lands NFL deal

Another Australian has entered the NFL, with a former Brisbane Broncos development squad player landing a deal with one of the biggest sporting teams in the world

Another Australian has entered the NFL, with former Brisbane Broncos development squad player Jotham Russell signing with the New England Patriots.

Russell has been tagged as a defensive end and attended the NFL’s International Player Pathway program last month before attending the Patriots’ rookie minicamp last week.

He is the second Australian to find an NFL home from this year’s international pathway intake, with former Gold Coast Suns AFL-listed player Patrick Murtagh signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars this off-season.

Russell has gained a roster spot with the help of a rule that allows teams to carry an extra player from the international program. He has signed a rookie free agent contract that will earn him $4.2 million over three years if he keeps his position at the Patriots.

It has been a meteoric rise for the 20 year old Russell who last winter was playing for Tweed Seagulls’ Under 21 QRL team.

Russell was part of the Brisbane Broncos’ elite development squad as a 16-year old after moving from Canberra, but his professional sporting dreams looked over until the NFL’s international scouts called last November, excited by his 193cm and 107kg frame.

Jotham Russell playing for the Tweed Seagulls.

By January he was heading to the US for four months of intensive training and learning in the NFL pathway program, despite being a novice to the game.

He didn’t even follow an NFL team, and told CODE Sports in March that initially he struggled with understanding the new sport.

“I was lost, it did not take long for me to feel completely out of the loop,” Russell said.

“It was like learning a new language.”

It was the unlikely source of video games that helped him increase his knowledge.

“I downloaded Madden NFL and brought my PlayStation so I can still be learning something in my time off.”

“My coaches say that playing Madden football is one of the best things you can do to learn the game. We’re all competitive with it.”

Twelve hour days of training combined with hours on the PlayStation at nights changed all that.

“We’re a sponge, we’ve got 10 weeks to get as much as we can, and I was taking the baby steps and crawling,” Russell says.

“But now I’m feeling like I’m running, so I’ve come a long way.”

Russell will join a Patriots franchise in the rebuild phase.

In partnership with legendary quarterback Tom Brady, coach Bill Belichick brought unprecedented success to New England with six Super Bowl titles.

But after 24 seasons the Patriots parted ways with Belichick earlier this year off the back of a 4-13 season record.

Former Patriots player Jerod Mayo has been appointed as new head coach.

Russell was one of four rookie free agents announced by the Patriots yesterday, at 20 years of age, Russell is the youngest and most speculative of that lot.

In March Russell spoke about how the NFL had quickly become his life goal.

“(Professional sport) was always the goal. I had friends whose job was rugby, so it’s very exciting to have the laser focus of having one goal that you’re putting your life towards.”

“The flight home will not be my last time here,” he says. “Whether it’s with this program or not, this is my future. I’ve dedicated myself towards it and this is what I’m going to do.”

Signing with the Patriots now means Russell is running ahead of schedule.

Originally published as Former Brisbane Broncos development player Jotham Russell lands NFL deal