To go from being heralded as a “high character” prospect by then-Las Vegas Raiders general manager Mike Mayock to, well, stealing, is quite the fall from grace. It’s a tragedy with many layers to it. Either way, when we all look back one day, there’s no denying that Damon Arnette will be remembered more for his off-field shenanigans than anything he ever produced on the football field.
By now, most Raiders fans are aware of all the whiffed draft picks under Mayock and former head coach Jon Gruden. What hurts even more for Raider Nation is the number of first-round selections that simply didn’t pan out. Arnette’s selection was universally panned as a reach; he was talented, yes. Still, to call him a surefire prospect would’ve been dishonest.
It’s even more infuriating when noting the talent still on the board on that fateful day in 2020. Fast forward to 2023, and you’d be hard-pressed to believe that Arnette has been in the news more for his legal problems than he ever was on a highlight reel. That’s harsh, no doubt about it. However, when you continue to make boneheaded decisions, you need to look in the mirror. For Arnette’s sake, hopefully it’s sooner rather than later.
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Exhibit A, B, and C: why are you stealing from an OnlyFans model?
No matter how you want to slice it, you know you’ve hit an all-time low when your name is getting dragged on a show known for interviewing adult film stars. The culprit, Danii Banks, recently appeared on said show, Pillow Talk. There, she claimed that Arnette stole her Cartier watch (an accessory that’s priced in the thousands, by the way) while “she went to the bathroom.” Afterward, he then also proceeded to use Miss Banks’ cell phone to transfer (via Zelle) money out of her account to his friends. Not only that, but there’s also video footage of it that she shared on the show.
Wow.
By now, Raiders fans know the stats. Arnette only played in 13 professional games, never recorded an interception, and never made an impact on the field. Again, this is more of a cautionary tale at this point. To say that Mayock and Gruden missed the mark with this “high character” guy is putting it lightly. That’s not intended to be disrespectful; rather, it goes to show how far Arnette has fallen.
All jokes aside, we sincerely hope Mr. Arnette can turn his life around.
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