Ryan Russell spotted for the first time with Corey O’Brien after coming out as bisexual

NFL free agent Ryan Russell spotted for the first time with Corey O’Brien… days after coming out as bisexual after blogger threatened outing him online

He proudly revealed he is bisexual in an honest post shared to ESPN earlier this week.

And Ryan Russell stepped out for the first time since going public with his sexuality, hand-in-hand with Corey O’Brien at Urth Caffe in Santa Monica, California on Friday afternoon.

The NFL free agent appeared to be in great spirits as he grabbed a coffee with his dancer beau just days after discussing his hopes to return to the league and be the first openly LGBTQIA player.

Happiness: Ryan Russell stepped out for the first time since going public with his sexuality, hand-in-hand with Corey O’Brien at Urth Caffe in Santa Monica, California on Friday afternoon

Ryan rocked an all-black ensemble complete with a black shirt and jogging shorts as he strolled with his significant other.

The 27-year-old strapped a pair of electric yellow trainers to his feet and wore tall black Nike socks.

Corey flaunted his fit figure in a white tank top paired with blue shorts as he proudly walked beside his boyfriend. 

Proud: The NFL free agent appeared to be in great spirits as he grabbed a coffee with his dancer beau just days after discussing his hopes to return to the league and be the first openly LGBTQIA player

Proud: The NFL free agent appeared to be in great spirits as he grabbed a coffee with his dancer beau just days after discussing his hopes to return to the league and be the first openly LGBTQIA player

Ryan admitted to TMZ that he was ‘getting nothing but support’ from friends in the league after penning a heartfelt post admitting his sexuality.

He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 2015 after a successful college career at Purdue in West Lafayette, Indiana. 

A year later he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice squad, doing well enough to eventually get a promotion to the active roster. 

He made seven starts in 2017, but he suffered a severe shoulder injury and was not re-signed. Outside of brief training camp stint with the Buffalo Bills, Russell has been out of the NFL, more or less, for the last two seasons. 

Out and about: Corey flaunted his fit figure in a white tank top paired with blue shorts as he proudly walked beside his boyfriend

Out and about: Corey flaunted his fit figure in a white tank top paired with blue shorts as he proudly walked beside his boyfriend

He hopes to return to the league, but only if he can be honest with ‘teammates, coaches, trainers, front-office executives and fans’ about his real identity, he wrote in a piece for ESPN.

Russell was scared that coming out as bisexual could adversely affect his career, and those fears nearly came to fruition in 2016 when a ‘well-known blogger’ threatened to expose him.

‘If the blogger outed me, I was sure that would kill my career, one that was supporting not just me, but my mother and grandfather,’ wrote Russell. ‘He’d eradicate a childhood dream that was the product of years of work and sacrifice.

‘Withholding information is a form of deceit,’ he wrote. ‘And I want the next part of my career – and life – steeped in trust and honesty.

‘Today, I have two goals: returning to the NFL, and living my life openly,’ he continued. ‘I want to live my dream of playing the game I’ve worked my whole life to play, and being open about the person I’ve always been.

Good plan: He hopes to return to the league, but only if he can be honest with 'teammates, coaches, trainers, front-office executives and fans' about his real identity, he wrote in a piece for ESPN

Good plan: He hopes to return to the league, but only if he can be honest with ‘teammates, coaches, trainers, front-office executives and fans’ about his real identity, he wrote in a piece for ESPN

 

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