Matt Russell begins his fourth season with the Denver Broncos in 2012 as the club’s director of player personnel, a position he was named to on Jan. 17, 2012. A former All-American and Butkus Award winner (nation’s best linebacker) at the University of Colorado, Russell joined the Broncos after scouting for seven seasons in the NFL with Philadelphia (2006-08) and New England (2001, ‘03-05).
Russell oversees the day-to-day operations of the pro personnel and college scouting departments.
As director of college scouting, Russell spent the last three seasons responsible for leading the Broncos’ college scouting efforts. He also oversaw the club’s eight-person college scouting staff.
Matt Russell begins his fourth season with the Denver Broncos in 2012 as the club’s director of player personnel, a position he was named to on Jan. 17, 2012. A former All-American and Butkus Award winner (nation’s best linebacker) at the University of Colorado, Russell joined the Broncos after scouting for seven seasons in the NFL with Philadelphia (2006-08) and New England (2001, ‘03-05).
Russell oversees the day-to-day operations of the pro personnel and college scouting departments.
As director of college scouting, Russell spent the last three seasons responsible for leading the Broncos’ college scouting efforts. He also oversaw the club’s eight-person college scouting staff.
Russell spent the 2008 season as the national scout for the Eagles after scouting the Western region for the club from 2006-07. Philadelphia earned playoff berths during two of Russell’s three seasons on its staff, including the 2008 campaign when the Eagles advanced to the NFC Championship Game.
Hired by the Patriots as a pro scout in December 2000, Russell served in that capacity for the club during its Super Bowl XXXVI-winning season in 2001 and worked as an area scout for the team from 2003-05. New England won consecutive Super Bowls (XXXVIII in 2003 and XXXIX in ‘04) with Russell on staff during that time, and its 45-11 (.804) overall record from 2003-05 was the best mark in the NFL.
A four-year starter at Colorado from 1993-96, Russell finished his collegiate career ranked first in school history in unassisted tackles (282) and second in total tackles (446). He received all-conference honors during each of his final two seasons with the Buffaloes, including a senior campaign in which he was a consensus first-team All-American and received the Butkus Award after posting a career-high 137 tackles.
Selected by Detroit in the fourth round (130th overall) of the 1997 NFL Draft, Russell earned All-Rookie honors before knee injuries forced him to retire in 2000. He spent the 2000 season as a graduate assistant coach for Colorado, helping to instruct the Buffaloes’ linebackers, before beginning his scouting career.
Russell lived in Germany, England and various parts of the United States as a child. He attended Belleville East High School in Belleville, Ill., and was born on July 5, 1973, in Tokyo, Japan.
