Russell Okung (Photo via Imagn Images)
Former NFL offensive tackle Russell Okung is having the last laugh after being criticized for his Bitcoin salary demands a few years ago.

Okung made headlines in 2020 after requesting that half of his $13 million deal be paid in BTC, a move many slammed as reckless, but he looks like an absolute genius today.

The Carolina Panthers paid Okung $6.5 million in cryptocurrency, depositing 240 BTC into his wallet. Back then, the coin was trading at $27,000 per. It topped $60,000 at one point but fell as low as $16,000 in 2022, leaving the OT’s holdings barely above $3 million.

He held firm, storing his BTC in a cold wallet while continuing his crypto advocacy.

Those same coins are now worth over $29 million as the coin surged over $121,000 this week, leaving Okung one of the most successful athlete investors in crypto history. He’s now seen as a visionary despite being mocked when he asked for half of his contract to be paid out in Bitcoin.

Russell Okung: An Inspiration For Other Millionaire Athletes

Russell Okung (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Okung has inspired a few other athletes after refusing to play checkers with his salary, opting for chess.

NFL stars such as Odell Beckham Jr. and Trevor Lawrence have also taken advantage of crypto assets, though hardly to the degree of his gamble, which, at the time, certainly seemed like one.

As mentioned above, Russell Okung has been a crypto proponent for several years, preaching financial freedom through decentralization. Now that his decision has been vindicated, he will certainly garner added attention.

Fearne Cotton has broken her silence on split from husband Jesse Wood in her first TV interview since the breakup.

Joining Lorraine Kelly on Monday’s episode of the ITV show, the TV presenter, 43, also gave an health update after having two tumours removed from jaw.

Fearne announced her split from Jesse, the son of Rolling Stones bass guitarist Ronnie Wood, in December after 10 years of marriage.

She has since made swipes at Jesse and moved on with TV director Elliot Hegarty, with the pair having been seen kissing during a recent night out.

Fearne has had a difficult few months after undergoing surgery to remove two benign tumours from her jawline, just days before her split with Jesse emerged.

She told host Lorraine: ‘It’s all very amicable and kids are doing great. I am in a very good place.’place.’

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Fearne Cotton has broken her silence on split from husband Jesse Wood in her first TV interview since the breakup

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Fearne announced her split from Jesse, the son of Rolling Stones bass guitarist Ronnie Wood , in December after 10 years of marriage (both pictured in February 2024)

Discussing her recent surgery, she added: ‘I feel very grateful to have completely recovered.

‘I feel really good. I have a lot of people reaching out who have had the same thing.’

Davina McCall, 56, announced in November she’d been diagnosed with a colloid cyst, a rare type of benign brain tumour, and has supported Fearne.

She continued: ‘Everyone needs a Davina. She’s been amazing, weird that we had the same health thing going on at the same time. She’s so calming and we speak every day. She is just the best

It comes after Fearne has seemingly made another thinly-veiled dig at her ex-husband as she gushed that she is the happiest she’s ever been in a positive update.

Speaking to Scott Mills on his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show, Fearne gushed that she is ‘really happy’ and is ‘springing out of bed in the morning ready for life’.

Scott, who has known Fearne for 25 years, said he has never seen her ‘more positive or happier’, prompting Fearne to agree and reply: ‘Yeah I feel great!’