Henry Ruggs remains in prison as a result of the sentence he received in August 2023 stemming from a November 2021 car accident. Ruggs pled guilty after a woman and her dog were killed in the crash. 
The former Raiders wideout was accused of reaching speeds up to 156 mph and he registered a blood alcohol content of 0.16, more than double the legal limit in Nevada. Ruggs was waived the same day charges were filed, ending his tenure in the NFL after playing 20 games across two seasons. As a result of the plea agreement he reached, the former first-rounder received a sentence of three to 10 years in prison.
Ruggs is first eligible for parole on August 5, 2026. In the event he does get released from prison at that point or later, he is interested in attempting an NFL comeback. Former Alabama and Raiders teammate Josh Jacobs said during an appearance on The Pivot podcast Ruggs is training for a return to football.
Jacobs added he has been speaking on Ruggs’ behalf when discussing a return with NFL teams. The Packers running back also said of Ruggs there seem to be “a couple teams” which could be “willing to give him a chance.” Interest on the part of any team would obviously be a noteworthy development given the seriousness of Ruggs’ actions, but Jacobs remains an advocate for a second opportunity in the league.
“He’s a good kid,” Jacobs said, via Lauren Merola of The Athletic (subscription required). “He’s never been in trouble. I’ve never seen him do nothing crazy. He was just one of them guys that had a very, very unfortunate situation and something happened from a decision that he made.”
The top receiver taken in the 2020 draft, Ruggs averaged 18.4 yards per catch and scored four touchdowns during his time with the Raiders. At the time when he first becomes eligible for parole, he will be 27 years old.
Obviously the Chiefs will sign him.
criminally underrated comment here.
Na they’ll probably wait until he has a domestic violence arrest to add to his rap sheet.
Maybe I should have asked this question in the beginning, But is this guy even WORTH the drama? I mean it’s not like we’re talking about Tyreek Hill here are we? Until he got arrested I don’t think I ever heard of him.
He was on my fantasy team as a rookie… And then…
He would absolutely murder in that offense
Incredible how much leniency our society has for those who have taken the life of another. 3 to 10 years. SMH.
You forgot the rich part. Best lawyers and payouts to the family.
She didn’t have a family. It’s really heartbreaking, but likely also had to do with the light sentence.
She had a family. Her parents are still alive.🤦♀️
The reason for the plea deal is because the District Attorney felt the blood test on him would have never made it to trial.His attorneys failed to get it thrown out but the plea deal was accepted anyways.
Since when didn’t we value entertainment over human life ?
Society gives too much leniency to armed policemen who gun down innocent people. Latest example: the death squad in Idaho that killed an autistic man.
Very unfortunate situation in Idaho and troubling but this has nothing to do with Ruggs and his situation. Trying to compare societal leniency between the two circumstances is impossible
We get it, you’re left leaning. Stop pushing your politics though.
Tell that to the dozens of Gold Star families whose loved ones were innocently killed by idiots that hate cops.
Chucky, you really are stupid. But, then I saw you were from Jersey. STFU AND OPEN YOUR EYES.
It’s disgusting. I’m all for understanding and second chances but he made a woman burn to death in her car. The fact he gets to possibly get parole after 3 years when she loses her life is more than enough leniency as it is.
“I’ve never seen him do nothing crazy. He was just one of them guys that had a very, very unfortunate situation and something happened from a decision that he made.”
Jacobs’ wording minimizes the seriousness of Ruggs’ actions. Ruggs didn’t have “an unfortunate situation” occur, he made the active decision to not only get behind the wheel after drinking double the legal limit but to then drive like a maniac, two very serious decisions that killed a woman and her dog.
Agreed!!!
You can’t be a good person and be young and in your early 20’s and drive drunk one time and it blows up into a disaster? I’ve done it and thank god I never was involved in anyone getting injured or hurt. But let’s not act like someone who’s a young 20 something year old and makes a mistake like driving drunk … is a horrible person
@Lyman: partially agree with you but in addition to drunk driving, people were trying to get him to not drive drunk, he defied them and drove 150 mph. In addition, he’s an NFL player with access to a car service. He had every reason in the world to *not* drive drunk but did so anyway and pulled some drag racing nonsense to boot. Not really inclined to give him much of a break here.
He made a horrible mistake. That doesn’t mean you throw him away. A lot different than a school shooter.
@qckappa- Who here said throw him away? Those defending him are only presenting strawman arguments.
Just stop talking.
How in the world did you just make it sound like all he did was drink and drive?
The mistake was drinking and driving. Then he killed a woman. And at this moment the 20 something year old that made a “mistake” is only thinking about getting back to football.
Sounds like a real winner
Im trying to figure out if he’s simply say his was a “boys will be boys” mistake, no harm and no foul in a self indulgent way, or if he really believes his own stupid act is similar to what this trash did
Either way, what a stupid take
I drove drunk. That was a bad mistake, and fortunately, nothing happened. But He was driving > 150 mph, on a city street. Imagine doing that at 2 AM on 5th Avenue in Manhattan. And he never had to take the car out. This is like when Lenny Dykstra and his crew got into that accident.
You’re rich. Take an Uber to the bar, and have the NFL pick up the ride on the way home. That’s couch-level money for these people.
@JoeBrady hits the nail on the head here. With all of the resources available to Ruggs given his wealth and NFL player status, driving drunk, and to that extent, is insane. Why even risk it?
So young 20 year olds think rationally, and if they don’t and make a mistake then we condemn them for their entire life no matter what?
He didn’t kill anyone on purpose. What he did was insane and horrific … but throwing another potential decent life away isn’t the spiritual answer either.
George flloyd had a long rap sheet — including holding a gun to a pregnant woman’s womb.
Doesn’t mean he needed to be choked out on the street by the police. Even though he was clearly a disgusting person. So I think it’s weird how inconsistent society is. You guys are bringing up personal experiences, and airing out feelings and talking about how this 20-something year old black kid doesn’t have the right to work out and train in jail and go back to working and earning a living the best way he knows how? How do we know he won’t donate money and do seminars and stuff If you didn’t look it up, you shouldnt jump to conclusions.
Did her family forgive him? How do they feel? Wouldn’t that be important in this matter? Some people are so spiritual they realize they’re better off letting the hate go and forgiving. You only keep the f’d up past alive by continuing to not let it go.
It happened.
It’s not gonna unhappen.
Hopefully this kid makes the most with his chance of redemption. But I can’t condemn him based on this article and what Josh said about him coming back. You people are condemning Josh too, as if his judgement is so presumably off base — just because you don’t agree with it. But he’s talking about someone he knows very well. You aren’t.
@Lyman
“He didn’t kill anyone on purpose. What he did was insane and horrific … but throwing another potential decent life away isn’t the spiritual answer either.”
I completely understand that you’re not condoning what he did, but saying this the way you said it makes it sound like you’re defending a person that lost control of their car on a wet road or something. Ruggs made choices -multiple bad ones- that cost lives. If you let him off mostly without consequences, the message you send to everyone that might do something akin to what he did is you’ll go away for what amounts to a slap on the wrist and then get your life back? By comparison, you’d actually get a longer sentence for stealing a car -which is replaceable- than what Ruggs might get.
He also doesn’t have a right to come back to the NFL. Playing professional football is a privilege, not a right. I understand the man will need money, and while I personally wouldn’t give him a penny if I saw him on the street, there are plenty of construction jobs hiring that would provide him a wage. He doesn’t get to earn millions again as a subpar WR, no.
@Lyman- Stop with the strawman arguments. I read through each comment in this thread and NO ONE said to condemn him for his entire life or that he deserved to be beat while being arrested. I can’t speak for others, but if you’re insinuating that I’m holding these beliefs, it’s actually a bit insulting.
He took somebody’s life. It doesn’t matter the intent. That requires a severe punishment.
Leave it to the guy minimizing his actions to bring up race and George Floyd.
Get a grip.
As someone who has lost a friend to a drunk driver, yes, it makes you a horrible person. F anyone who thinks it doesn’t tbh
I’m sorry you’re still holding onto pain from that. I think our entire society is complicit to drunk driving. Liquor stores were open during Covid … churches were not
Nothing is ever your fault huh
I’ve never driven drunk and never will. FOH.
Spoken like a dumbass. Every situation is different and by you lumping all un makes you an assclown.
We have more than enough exposure to why people should not drink and drive. This one is easy. No, I don’t think you are a good person. Stop making excuses for yourself and others. This shouldn’t even be a debate.
@Lyman- Did I say that? No. Absolutely crazy that you’re asserting I’m making that suggestion.
But to answer your question: I have never once in my life driven 156 MPH; I surely have never gotten behind the wheel with a .16 BAC; and I’ve certainly never done both simulatenously. I believe in second chances, but I also don’t believe in minimizing the situation, which was my point, and I do believe in judging him for his actions that resulted in death.
He killed someone. If you make this level of a bad decision (or two bad decisions at once) and it results in the death of someone, then saying what Jacobs said is disrespectful to the woman who died.
He fled the scene and her and her dog burned to death. Boys will be boys amirite
Outside of driving drunk, going 150mph and killing a woman, he’s “Never been in trouble. Never seen him do nothing crazy”. Ok.
He was a good boy
He might be planning on playing football, But does football plan on LETTING him play football, Assuming he gets out of jail in time. Bit of grey area here.
Parolees on an NFL team would be a first.
Unclemike’s comment is correct. No matter our opinions, the NFL has to decide to open that door first before any sort of considerations become reality.
Cleveland Browns on line 1
Well he could apply to be Watson’s new massage therapist. I’m sure he’s getting a lot of hands on training in prison.
As long as when(If) He gets out he doesn’t get a job as a Valet Parking attendant.
Hes not a “good kid”. He took lives, even 10 years is too short
Exactly. He let a woman burn alive while he sat on the curb felling sorry for himself. He’s not a “good kid”, he’s a horrible and immature adult.
Could he have pulled her out while he was drunk and saved her? If not stop saying he let her.
@Qckappa, OK, he didn’t pull her from the burning car, he knocked her unconscious and put her in it. Sound any better?
Qckappa- If he was capable of operating a vehicle, he is absolutely capable of sacrificing his body to pull her out of the wreckage, especially considering he put her in that situation.
You haven’t once expressed sympathy for the individual who died; you’re only here defending Ruggs. I question the morality of your stance.
You don’t have any idea what you’re talking about. I live here in Vegas and he was too drunk to do anything so do your research before posting and making yourself look like a dumbass.
Qckappa – If I got hammered and pushed a toddler into a pool, then watched them drown because I was too drunk to help out, it’s unlikely anyone would defend me, other than you of course.
Lets be reminded, his friends took his keys away and he attempted to fight them until he got his keys.
Why would the league allow him back in? Ban these criminals once and for all! Plenty of new draftees to take his roster spot.
Yeah, the commissioner needs to lay the hammer down when Ruggs gets out and force the NFLPA to challenge it. A precedent needs to be set when someone dies.
Unfortunately, they already set the precedent with Stallworth running over that man and Leonard Little killing that woman with two DUIs on his record. I see this as a bigger issue with society. No way you should have those little penalties those guys got for killing someone while driving drunk. There should be severe consequences regardless.
He already is nobody will give him a chance and if I’m one the parole board him talking like that would tell me all I needed to know he has understood what he did or care what he did to that poor young lady’s family and her best friend I want to hear remorse not “I’m working on getting into shape to go back to the NFL”
You don’t have to carry water for this guy, Josh
He should be in jail for life but at the very least no team should sign him.
If my Eagles ever do, I’m done being an Eagles fan. Period.
What about when they signed Vick it wasn’t a person but a bunch of poor innocent dogs
I’m a Philly guy too, and I share your feelings. Tell me, how did you feel when we signed Vick? I was all for it, felt like he served his time and paid his debt. Anything Ruggs could do after parole to make amends?
No. Vick got the maximum allowable punishment, I believe. He did his time and was genuinely remorseful and changed.
Ruggs got the opposite, and if he’s shown remorse I haven’t seen it. To be fair though, I haven’t really paid attention to his case since he got sentenced.
No, he shouldn’t. There are intentional murderers that don’t get life.
They should also get life.
Or have their life taken away
“He’s a good kid,” Jacobs said, via Lauren Merola of The Athletic (subscription required). “He’s never been in trouble. I’ve never seen him do nothing crazy. He was just one of them guys that had a very, very unfortunate situation and something happened from a decision that he made.”
I used to spend too much time pointing out hypocrisy or cognitive dissonance and now I realize there are just some people who can only have one thought in their brain at any given time.
Yes and Jared Fogle is eyeing a return to a playground. What’s your point?
Lmao haven’t heard that name in forever and am glad about that!
lol so are the kids
Hahaha sad but extremely true
How is he training in prison
He starts running and the Guards chase him.
Underrated comment!!!
Think he’s doing his work release at the governor’s mansion or something. I know he’s not in actual prison anymore now.
Mean Machine
No.
I’m sorry, but killing someone and their dog after hitting them head on at 156mph while drunk doesn’t make him “a good kid”. He should never get an opportunity to play again. He had his chance and he blew it.
Such tone-deaf comments by Jacobs, here.
Its not tone deaf if you know someone and they haven’t been in trouble before. It is possible to be a good person that made a terrible mistake.
Ask the family of the woman who was killed.
First off, I have lost any and all respect for Josh Jacobs after this. There are some things that can be excused, but this isn’t one.
Secondly, Ruggs shouldn’t be allowed back in the league, ever. Playing professional football is a privilege, not a right. It absolutely infuriates me that the idea of this piece of trash being allowed back in the league is being floated. He took lives because of his stupidity, and he has already gotten off easy with the light sentence.
As far as I’m concerned, when he gets out, he can go live in a box under a bridge. His buddy Josh can join him there too.
just one of them guys that had a very, very unfortunate situation and something happened from a decision that he made.”
=====================
I’m a Jacobs fan, but that’s a terrible statement. How about “he made a terrible decision” and “he killed a woman”?
Every so often we get rumors so ludicrous you can only laugh. There was the one a couple of years back that suggested Condolezza Rice was going to be the GM for the Browns. This one is almost as funny. I think there’s probably a better chance of Aldon Smith making a comeback than Ruggs…lol.
He Don’t deserve another chance. Bum
If he somehow does get let out, they should hang a life sized banner of Tina’s burned up car in the end zone, so he has to see that every time he goes to score. I don’t understand how drunk drivers get such lenient sentences compared to anyone else that kills someone.
Rich white guys like to drink and drive too, so we treat it like jaywalking instead of attempted murder.
That’s how.
They don’t want to get caught in their own net.
That’s a damn good point
It is insane how it’s a slap on the wrist for some and a life altering experience for others…and I’m not talking about the ones that end in fatalities.
So he’s in prison AND training to return to the NFL….why is he allowed to train, which means weights, sprints…..hmmmmmmmm the present day Good Fellas, when Henry and Paulie were locked up eating steaks….
“I’ve never seen him do nothing crazy.”
Okay, you didn’t see it, but he took two lives, and killed a family. Yes, a woman and a dog is Def a family
He killed a young lady and her dog because he was drunk, driving over 165 mph when he slammed into her SUV. He sat on the curb crying as she screamed for help. She burned to death along with her dog and witnesses were unable to free her. Horrible. I pray Nevada doesn’t parole him any time soon. No sympathy for him at all.
He never did anything wrong aside from kill that girl and her dog, lol.
It is beyond disappointing to read Josh’s comments. Thought he was better than that…
This brought back some memories, so for the record…
F the Pouncey Brothers.
Murderer lovers with no rings.
Now we will need a poll to determine if Ruggs or Kaepernick is the better NFL comeback candidate…lol.
The Raiders probably never took him off the roster