Former Raider provides shocking Henry Ruggs update

Whether with the Alabama Crimson Tide or the Las Vegas Raiders, Henry Ruggs was starting to develop a reputation as one of the most explosive wide receivers in football when disaster struck.

Midway through his second NFL season, on Nov. 2, 2021, Ruggs was arrested for driving under the influence and causing an accident that ended the life of a 23-year-old woman and her dog. In May 2023, he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. He was sentenced to 36-120 months in prison, and many assumed that was effectively the end of Ruggs’s football career.

However, the book may not have fully closed on the speedy wide receiver, according to a former teammate and longtime friend.

Is a Henry Ruggs comeback story really beginning to emerge?

On “The Pivot” podcast with Ryan Clark, former Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, who was teammates with Ruggs in college and the NFL, says that the receiver is working out during his time in prison to stay in shape for a potential return to the league.

“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,’” said Jacobs. “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.’”

As unlikely as it is, there is a scenario where Ruggs does come back to the NFL.

The earliest potential release date Ruggs has is August 5, 2026, and the former 12th overall pick in the league will only be 27 years old at that time. If he is aiming for a return to the NFL, chances are it will not come with the Raiders, and any team that has perceived interest will want a contract that comes with heavy stipulations for behavior. However, if Ruggs expresses genuine remorse over what happened and is willing to turn over a new leaf, perhaps teams might take a flier on him despite everything.

A Ruggs comeback story would be one of the biggest storylines to come out of the NFL in years, but he will have to be the one to do what is necessary to see such an outcome through.