Colorado University Athletics
Broncos Name Matt Russell Director Of Player Personnel
Russell, 38, spent the last three seasons as the Broncos' director of college scouting, and will now oversee the day-to-day operations of the pro personnel and college scouting departments in his new position.
"Matt's energy and passion for his work have earned him a tremendous amount of respect from those inside our organization," Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway said. "His leadership and evaluation skills make him the perfect fit to oversee the player personnel departments."
Russell, who played at CU from 1993 through 1996, won the Butkus Award as a senior, presented to the nation's top linebacker. Russell was a consensus first-team All-American in his senior year in addition to being a third-team selection by the Associated Press as a junior in 1995. He finished his career as the Buffs' second all-time leading tackler (446), with his 282 unassisted tackles setting a school record that still stands.
A fourth round selection by the Detroit Lions in the 1997 NFL Draft, a pair of knee injuries limited Russell's promising career to 14 games. After helping coach CU's secondary during the 2000 season while assistant coach Tom McMahon battled cancer, Russell became a scout for the New England Patriots during their Super Bowl run in 2001. He would also scout for New England from 2003-05 before joining the Philadelphia Eagles from 2006-08. Russell joined the Broncos in 2009.