{{Short description|American football player (born 1970)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Damien Russell | number = 38 | position = Defensive back | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|8|20}} | birth_place = New York, New York, U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 1 | weight_lb = 204 | high_school = H.D. Woodson {{avoid wrap|(Washington, D.C.)}} | college = Virginia Tech (1988–1991) | draftyear = 1992 | draftround = 6 | draftpick = 151 | pastteams = * San Francisco 49ers ({{NFL Year|1992|1993}}) |highlights= * First-team All-South Independent (1990) | statlabel1 = Fumble recoveries | statvalue1 = 1 | pfr = R/RussDa20 }}
'''Damien Eduardo Russell''' (born August 20, 1970) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back for one season with the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the 49ers in the sixth round of the 1992 NFL draft after playing college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies.
==Early life and college== Damien Eduardo Russell was born on August 20, 1970, in New York, New York.<ref name="Pfa">{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/r/russ01000.html | title=DAMIEN RUSSELL | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=6 January 2025}}</ref> He attended Howard D. Woodson High School in Washington, D.C.<ref name="Pfa"/>
He was a four-year letterman for the Hokies of Virginia Tech from 1988 to 1991.<ref name="Pfa"/> He was named first-team All-South Independent by the Associated Press in 1990.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qt0zAAAAIBAJ&dq=%C2%A0all+south+independent+team+1990&pg=PA1&article_id=6265,1775893 |title=Gainesville Sun |publisher=Gainesville Sun |language=en}}</ref>
==Professional career== Russell was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round, with the 151st overall pick, of the 1992 NFL draft.<ref name="Pfr"/> He officially signed with the team on August 27.<ref name="transactions"/> He was then placed on the non-football injury list with a hamstring pull.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-roanoke-times/162456571/ | title=Furrer | work=The Roanoke Times | date=September 1, 1992 | accessdate=6 January 2025}}</ref> He did not play in any games during the 1992 season.<ref name="Pfr"/> Russell appeared in all 16 games for the 49ers in 1993 and recovered one fumble.<ref name="Pfr"/> He also played in two playoff games that year.<ref name="Pfr">{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RussDa20.htm | title=Damien Russell | publisher=Pro Football Reference | accessdate=6 January 2025}}</ref> He was released by the 49ers on July 28, 1994.<ref name="transactions">{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/transactions/r/russ01000.html | title=Damien Russell NFL Transactions | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=6 January 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{49ers1992DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Damien}} Category:Living people Category:1970 births Category:American football defensive backs Category:Virginia Tech Hokies football players Category:San Francisco 49ers players Category:Players of American football from New York City Category:H. D. Woodson High School alumni