Former Las Vegas Raiders WR Henry Ruggs III hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since October 24, 2021 after pleading guilty to driving under the influence resulting in a death and vehicular manslaughter stemming from a wreck that took the life of 23-year-old woman in November 2021.
With Ruggs up for parole in August of 2026, one of his former teammates talked about the receiver’s desire to potentially return to the NFL once his time in prison is behind him.
Josh Jacobs Says Henry Ruggs III is Training While in Prison with Hopes to Return to the NFL
Henry Ruggs III former teammate with the Raiders, Josh Jacobs, recently made an appearance on The Pivot Podcast where he discussed his continued relationship with his troubled teammate.
Jacobs said, “I still talk to Henry. Henry still calls me. I still help him out. … I know his whole family. He’s from Alabama. He played with me at Bama. His momma and them taught me how to bowl. … Keeping up with him and hearing him talk, it brings me spirits, because he’s always positive.”
Many NFL fans remember when Ruggs and Jacobs were both members of the Raiders in 2020 and 2021, but these two first-round draft picks also played together at the University of Alabama in 2017 and 2018.
Both players won a National Championship under Nick Saban as members of the Crimson Tide back in 2017, which gives these two men a connection that lasts today.
Jacobs added, “He’s positive about everything. He’s training. They let him train and things like that, so I’m like, ‘When you come out, man, I don’t know if you will get a chance.’ I’ve been talking to some people for him. They’ve been saying a couple of teams are willing to give him a chance. I’m like, ‘When you get that chance, man, you better not ever, don’t look back, and prove to yourself and prove to everybody that one decision don’t define you and who you are as a man.'”
Josh Jacobs Reaction to Finding Out About the Incident
Jacobs reaction to Ruggs’ tragic mistake back in November of 2021 mirrored how many felt after they heard the news.
Jacobs reflected by saying, “I instantly get mad… And then when I start finding out more about the story and about how they were supposed to be racing. I’m like, ‘Who was he with?’ But he was with his family. So I went to his house. I had some words with some people over there, and I’m just like, ‘Man, y’all got to understand, like, he the breadwinner of the family. He the one changing all of y’all’s lives. Everybody.'”
Ruggs was selected 12th overall by the Raiders in the 2020 NFL Draft and registered 50 receptions for 921 yards and four scores before his NFL career abruptly ended.
The earliest Ruggs will be eligible for parole is August 5, 2026, which would be during training camp entering the next season. Ruggs will be 27 years old at that time.
There is no guarantee a team will give Ruggs another chance to make an NFL roster, but it appears he is attempting to stay ready if the opportunity presents itself.
