Russell Ross Francis (born April 3, 1953), is a former professional football player who was drafted by the New England Patriots in the 1st round (16th pick) of the 1975 NFL Draft. He grew up in Hawaii. A 6'6", 242 lbs. tight end from the University of Oregon, Francis played in 13 NFL seasons. He retired temporarily in 1981, then played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1982 to 1986. He was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1993. Francis finished his career with 393 receptions for 5,262 yards and 40 touchdowns.