Archbishop Wood graduate Anthony Russo set to play professional football in XFL
Anthony Russo kept working on honing his quarterback skills in case the call came, but he started to doubt that it would.
"I'd be lying if I said the thought that it might be time to hang up the cleats didn't cross my mind," said Russo, a 2016 Archbishop Wood graduate. "I told myself that after college I would give myself two years and if no opportunities came up by then I would move on. But I really have a love and a passion for the game of football and, even when times were really hard, just being able to go out and throw and stay in shape was really good for me."
His perseverance paid off as Russo, 24, a Doylestown native who quarterbacked Wood to a pair of PIAA titles, was recently signed to play for the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL, which will relaunch in February of 2023 with eight franchises.
"I got a call in mid-September from the San Antonio front office and they said they were interested in me and then, about two weeks later, they had me go out to California to train with (acclaimed) quarterback coach Jordan Palmer," Russo said.
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Russo, who was a three-year starter at Temple (from 2018-2020) where he went 16-10 in 26 starts and then spent last season at Michigan State, caught the eye of the Brahmas at the Tropical Bowl — a postseason all-star game for college seniors to showcase their skills in front of professional scouts. Russo played so well at the event that he earned the game's MVP award.
For subscribers: Wood is our top Courier Times/Intell High School Football team from the 2010s
"It's a really cool deal," Russo said. "To get this chance is obviously something I always wanted and I need to make the most of it.
"I was working at Carroll Landscaping of Doylestown, my best friend's company, just cutting lawns and mulching and hoping for a chance and I'm really glad it came. And now I have an opportunity to play professional football and that's always been my dream."
He wasn't sure the dream would ever come true after his one season at Michigan State. Russo joined the Spartans with the thought of playing in the Big Ten in his final season, but he didn't earn the starting job and rarely got on the field.
For subscribers:Legendary CB West standout Dave Armstrong ready to take over at Archbishop Wood
"It's easy to be the guy with his chest out when you're the starting quarterback, but when you're the backup, and the team is doing well, it's different," Russo said.
"And that made me hungrier and more motivated as a football player. I didn't get the chance to play that I was hoping for, but the Michigan State experience allowed me to learn a lot about myself and it made me a better quarterback."
Indeed it did as Russo is now a little over two months away from playing pro ball.
"We have another training session with Jordan Palmer in Dallas in December and then we start training camp on January 8th," Russo said. "The season officially starts the week after the Super Bowl and I just can't wait to get started."
Drew Markol: dmarkol@theintell.com; @dmarkol
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Pro football: Wood grad Russo headed to XFL's San Antonio's Brahmas
