AWARDS/HONORS:
Action Awards Honoree, Athlete Ally 2024
Icon Award, Encircle 2024
Social Issues Gold Winner, New York Film Festivals 2022
TV General Entertainment Silver Winner, Telly Awards 2022
Best Sports Video Winner, Webby 2022
Best Short Doc Nominee, Sports Emmys 2022
Outstanding TV Journalism Segment Nominee, GLAAD 2020
Closet Door Busterdown Nominee, Game Changer Nominee, & Love is Great Nominee, Queerties 2020
Sporting Hero Winner, Gay Times 2019
OUT 100, OUT Magazine 2019
Drafted by the Dallas Cowboys, NFL 2015
PRESS, FEATURES, & INTERVIEWS:
Top Moments at the 36th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles!, GLAAD, March 2025
GLAAD Media Awards 2025 Red Carpet Arrivals Photos: Doechii, Cynthia Erivo, Jojo Siwa and More, WWD, March 2025
Cynthia Erivo And Doechii Win Big At The 36th Annual GLAAD Media Awards, Essence, March 2025
GLAAD Media Awards 2025: Cynthia Erivo, Lil Nas X, JoJo Siwa and more stars celebrate, USAtoday, March 2025
Super Bowl champ will host an LGBTQ-inclusive youth football camp this summer, Outsports, March 2025
Interview: COME OUT AND PLAY editors on why ‘queerness and athletics are not at odds’, Comicsbeat, March 2025
NFL’s R.K. Russell & Comedian Corey O’Brien Look So Cute in New Photos Amid Corey’s ‘Red Tour’ News!, JustJared, February 2025
Bi NFL Player R.K. Russell to be Honored at Athlete Ally Action Awards, Athlete Ally, August 2024
2024 Paris Olympics sees record number of LGBTQ athletes competing. Out sports stars share why queer visibility matters, Yahoo Ent, August 2024
How This Campaign Brought Together Queer Icons to Subvert Hateful Narratives, Little Black Book, August 2024
R.K. Russell, The First NFL Player To Come Out As Bisexual, Is Playing The Long Game To Break Stigma, Forbes, June 2024
National Book Festival: Sports & American Culture with R.K. Russell, Library of Congres, August 2023
Gina Torres, Froy Gutierrez, Jake Borelli Join ‘Love in Gravity’ Season 2 (Exclusive), The Hollywood Reporter, August 2023
Life, Love, And Football: An Interview With R.K. Russell, Queer Majority, August 2023
NFL veteran RK Russell shares his journey in ‘The Yards Between Us’, NBC4 Washington, July 2023
NFL player R.K. Russell on his family’s support after coming out, The Grio, July 2023
R.K. Russell’s Empowering Memoir on Being LGBTQ+ in the NFL to Become a Sony Pictures Television Series, People, June 2023
Black Authors on The Art of Storytelling, Essence, June 2023
R.K. Russell Felt ‘Stuck and Alone’ as a Queer College Football Player, Men’s Health, June 2023
Outsports Power 100 honors the most powerful and influential LGBTQ people in sports, Outsports, June 2023
Library of Congress National Book Festival Announces Full Author Lineup, News Room, June 2023
RK Russell’s new book highlighted by struggles, wild New York weekend, Outsports, June 2023
Get to Know R.K. Russell & Corey O’Brien with These 10 Fun Facts! (Exclusive), JustJared, June 2023
Former NFL defensive end releases new book, Fox 11, May 2023
R.K. Russell’s Memoir Dives Into How He Chose To Be Himself, Fox Soul, May 2023
R.K. Russell Talks Coming Out as Bisexual in the NFL, Cheddar News, May 2023
R.K. Russell On Life After Coming Out & Making NFL History, Tamron Hall Show, May 2023
NFL is “being more intentional” when it comes to players who want to come out, says former player R.K. Russell, CBS News, May 2023
Amplify Queer Narratives With New Books, GLAAD, May 2023
Bisexual NFLer R.K. Russell talks Carl Nassib, his complicated relationship with football & finding joy, Queerty, May 2023
‘The Yards Between Us’ Comedy From R.K. Russell, Saeed Crumpler & Gabrielle Union In Works At Sony Pictures TV, Deadline, April 2023
NFL Player R.K. Russell Flaunts Cute PDA with Boyfriend Corey O’Brien After Announcing New Book, JustJared, August 2022
NFL Veteran R.K. Russell Vows To Break More Barriers For LGBTQ People With New Memoir, HuffPost, August 2022
R.K. Russell on NFL’s relationship with LGBTQ+ players, NPR, August 2022
15 LGBTQ+ People Tell Us What Is Bringing Them Queer Joy Right Now, Buzzfeed, May 2022
ESPN’s Andscape to Launch Book Imprint With Disney This Fall (Exclusive), The Hollywood Reporter, March 2022
A Night of Pride with GLAAD and NFL event brings historic LGBTQ visibility to Super Bowl LVI, GLAAD, February 2022
Super Bowl LVI: Inside This Week’s Biggest Concerts, Events and Parties, The Hollywood Reporter, February 2022
The One with Ryan Russell, The LGBT Sport Podcast, February 2022
Ryan Russell on Carl Nassib, the Super Bowl, and LGBTQ+ acceptance in American football, BBC Sport, February 2022
R.K. Russell opens up about being Black and bisexual in the NFL — and how to make sports more inclusive, LGBTQ Nation, October 2021
NFL’s Ryan Russell on Jon Gruden Openly Bisexual Player:’DEEPLY UPSET, SHOCKED, APPALLED’, TMZ Sports, October 2021
NFL veteran Ryan Russell says Jon Gruden’s resignation is not enough, CNN, October 2021
NFL player Ryan Russell feels ‘unstoppable’ since coming out as bisexual: ‘I could do anything’, Yahoo Life, September 2021
Why bisexual men are so misunderstood: ‘It’s not a phase. It’s my life’, Yahoo Life, Septemeber 2021
The triumphs and struggles of Black LGBTQ athletes, The Undefeated, June 2021
NFL Free Agent Ryan Russell explains how the culture of youth sports can stop young LGBTQ athletes, MSNBC, June 2021
Carl Nassib: First active openly gay player ‘historic’ for NFL, says Ryan K Russell, BBC, June 2021
Carl Nassib announcement ‘a monumental moment’ for NFL, says Ryan Russell, Sports Max, June 2021
Carl Nassib announcement “historical landmark” for NFL – Ryan Russell, AS, June 2021
The NFL Player Standing In Solidarity With Trans Athletes, The Nation, May 2021
Ryan Russell: Trans kids must be allowed to play school sports, QVoice News, May 2021
Some fights need more help than others’: NFL star adds his voice to battle against transgender sports bills, Pennsylvania Captial-Star, April 2021
NFL Player R.K. Russell Speaks Out Against Anti-Trans Sports Bills, Them, April 2021
NFL hero RK Russell urges athletes to fight ‘attacks’ on trans kids in powerful essay, Pink News, April 2021
Ryan Russell calls on athletes to fight trans bans: ‘Don’t let anyone use the games that we love for hate’, Out Sports, April 2021
Ryan Russell shows support for transgender student athletes in heartfelt essay, Gay Times, April 2021
NFL Star, Poet and Advocate Ryan K. Russell, Sippin’ The Tea, April 2021
Trailblazing bisexual NFL veteran Ryan Russell admits he’s felt ‘paralyzed’ by his sexuality, Pink News, February 2021
Ryan Russell, the NFL’s first openly bisexual player, says he felt ‘selfish’ coming out because he didn’t want to be a distraction to his team, Insider, February 2021
LGBT+ History Month: NFL player Ryan Russell on his decision to come out as bisexual, BBC Sport, February 2021
5 LGBTQ+ Celebs On Their Best (and Worst) New Year’s Eve Kisses, Out, January 2021
WATCH: Ryan Russell, Jackie Cox & more on holiday traditions and redefining the festive season, Queerty, December 2020
From Ryan Russell to Elliot Page, This Week in Beyond the G, SFGN, December 2020
NFL vet Ryan K. Russell still wants to play after coming out. He’s more ready than ever, LGBTQ Nation, November 2020
Dear NFL: If You Want to Be LGBTQ+ Allies, Hire Out Players, Out, October 2020
NFL: National Coming Out Day 2020, NFL, October 2020
Abercrombie & Fitch Launches New Miniseries Focused on Mental Health, Hosted by World Champion Soccer Player Megan Rapinoe, Abercrombie & Fitch, October 2020
Bi Visibility Day: Ryan Russell on coming out, navigating the NFL, and more, Sky Sports, September 2020
Where Are All The Bi Athletes? with Ryan K. Russell, Two Bi Guys Podcast, September 2020
Corey O’Brien & Ryan Russell Embody Love, JeJune Magazine, August 2020
Ryan & Corey’s Story, Queer Majority, July 2020
Out NFL player R.K. Russell shares poems about the killings of 3 Black men, OutSports, July 2020
Ryan Russell, Billy Bean, Jeffri Chadiha discuss perceptions of being a gay athlete in pro sports, NFL, June 2020
Pride Series: Building Inclusivity and Allyship in Professional Sports, NFL, June 2020
The Book of Sean: LGBTQ+ PRIDE, Fox Soul Tv, June 2020
Corey & Russ Pride Issue, EUPHORIA., June 2020
Ryan Russell & Corey O’Brien Talk Pride Month, Black Lives Matter + More | KIIS Under The Influence, 102.7 KIISFM, June 2020
LGBTQ Athletes And Allies Celebrate Supreme Court’s Decision, Deadspin, June 2020
Self Love In Sports With Ryan Russell, CFL’s The Waggle Podcast, June 2020
Pride Firsts, Stylecaster, June 2020
Reflecting on the Past, Present, and Future of LGBTQ+ Representation in Sports, Men’s Health, June 2020
Out And Proud: Our Favorite LGBTQ Sports Stars Of All Time, Slots Call, June 2020
Expressing Pride and Solidarity through spoken word and song, OutSports, June 2020
Black Lives Matter – Ryan Russell, Mind Over Matter Podcast, June 2020
22 LGBTQ+ Athletes Who Are Speaking Out and Leading the Way — in Sports and Beyond, POPSUGAR, June 2020
NFL Player Ryan Russell Protests for Black Lives, Just Jared, June 2020
Nikki Nights Episode 4 with Ryan Russell:Touch Down, Anchor, May 2020
Alyson Stoner gives 2020 commencement speech for foster youth graduating high school, ABC News, May 2020
Alyson Stoner gives 2020 commencement speech for foster youth graduating high school, Good Morning America, May 2020
The NFL’s Ryan Russell Says He Had to Come out for His Own Truth & Ability to Self-Love, Channel Q, May 2020
An NFL Player and His Dancer Boyfriend Say There Are More Similarities Between Their Fields Than You’d Think, Dance Magazine, April 2020
Ryan Russell: “I’m Happier Than I’ve Ever Been”, Bi.Org, April 2020
A conversation with Ryan Russell, Purdue Exponent, February 2020
Breaking Barriers: Ryan Russell, Purdue Alumnus, February 2020
Abercrombie Is Looking Very Different, Paper Magazine, February 2020
Megan Rapinoe Shows Off ‘Fierce’ Side with Kyle Kuzma, Gus Kenworthy for Abercrombie & Fitch, People, February 2020
The Reinvention of Football Player Ryan Russell, The Advocate, February 2020
NFL Player Ryan Russell and Boyfriend Corey O’Brien Share PDA During London Date, People, November 2019
Get to Know NFL Player Ryan Russell’s Dancer Boyfriend, Corey O’Brien, People, November 2019
The Players Lounge: Ryan Russell, Bleav Podcasts, October 2019
NFL’s Only Openly LGBTQ Player Ryan Russell: “My Sexuality is Not a Distraction”, Fair Game, September 2019
NFL veteran after coming out: I’ll be a better teammate, CNN, September 2019
HRC to Honor Dominique Jackson and Welcome Ryan Russell and Jake Choi to the National Dinner, Human Rights Campaign, September 2019
NFL Star Comes Out as Bisexual: ‘Being More Comfortable in My Own Skin Made Me a Better Teammate’, People, August 2019
NFL Veteran Ryan Russell Reveals He’s Bisexual, BET, August 2019
Openly Bi Ryan Russell Could Forever Change the NFL, Athlete Ally, August 2019
Out NFL bisexual Ryan Russell just wants to play, Washington Blade, Augsut 2019
Ryan Russell, NFL free agent, comes out as bisexual, OutSports, August 2019
Ryan Russell, the NFL player who came out to be a better teammate, Queerty, August 2019
Ryan Russell Hopes to Rejoin NFL as an Out Bisexual Man, The Advocate, August 2019
NFL free agent Ryan Russell comes out as bisexual and sets goal of returning to the league, Business Insider, August 2019
Ryan Russell, NFL free agent, comes out as bisexual, NBC News, August 2019
NFL free agent Ryan Russell comes out as bisexual, CBS News, August 2019
NFL Player Ryan Russell Comes Out As Bisexual, Pride, August 2019
NFL Veteran Ryan Russell Comes Out As Bisexual, Huffpost, August 2019
Former Cowboys DE Ryan Russell reveals he is bisexual amid NFL comeback attempt, USA Today, August 2019
Ryan Russell wants to play in the NFL again. He also wants it known he’s bisexual, LA Times, August 2019
Ryan Russell, N.F.L. Free Agent, Comes Out as Bisexual: ‘It’s So Much Better Than Hiding’, New York Times, August 2019
No distractions — An NFL veteran opens up on his sexuality, ESPN, August 2019
Author R.K. Russell talks #PrisonorPassion on #ConversationsLIVE, Conversations LIVE, May 2019
NFL Player & Poet Ryan K. Russell Is Redefining What It Means To Be An Athlete, Black American Web, April 2019
NFL player and poet: the inspirational life of Ryan Russell, March 2019
1-On-1 With DE Ryan Russell, Dallas Cowboys, 2015
R.K.Russell 