Instead, he’ll join the Yankees spring camp in March, go through pre-game workouts and watch games from the dugout.

He has long expressed a desire to play for the Yankees, and Rangers general manager Jon Daniels and his New York counterpart, Brian Cashman, have spent several weeks working to accommodate his wishes, a source told ESPN.

I’ve learned so much on the baseball field that translates to my game physically and mentally playing quarterback in the NFL.

While I embrace the chance to be a New York Yankee, I will forever be grateful to have been a part of a world class organization like the Texas Rangers.”

“We’ve admired Russell’s career from afar for quite some time,” Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman said.

“After talking to a number of our players, there is a genuine excitement in having Russell join us for a short time in camp.

We are all looking forward to gaining insight into how he leads teammates toward a common goal, prepares on a daily basis for the rigors of his sport, and navigates the successes and failures of a season.”