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Josh Jacobs says Henry Ruggs is working toward an NFL comeback from jail
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Josh Jacobs said on a podcast recently that former Alabama wideout Henry Ruggs III is working from behind bars to resume his NFL career after his sentence has been served.
Ruggs, 26, is currently serving a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 10 years in prison for a high-speed car crash in November 2021 that resulted in the death of 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog, Max. Ruggs pleaded guilty to 1 count of driving while impaired, resulting in death, and 1 count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. He is eligible for parole in 2026.
Jacobs, who was teammates with Ruggs at Alabama (2017-18) and on the Las Vegas Raiders (2020-21), said on The Pivot Podcast this week that he still speaks with Ruggs.
“He’s training. They let him train and things like that,” Jacobs said. “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.’”
Ruggs’ Corvette was said to be traveling at upwards of 150 miles per hour just before the crash and was moving at 127 miles per hour at the time of impact. He was on his way home from Top Golf, a trip Jacobs said he was supposed to join Ruggs on. When Jacobs learned of the accident, he said he was instantly mad and went to Ruggs’ family home.
“I had some words with some people over there, and I’m just like, ‘Man, y’all got to understand, like, he (is) the breadwinner of the family. He (is) the one changing all of y’all’s lives,'” Jacobs recalled. “And then not only that, he’s a good kid. He’s never been in trouble. I’ve never seen him do nothing crazy. He was just one of them guys that have a very, very unfortunate situation and something happened, a decision that he made.
“That’s what hurt me the most. Man, he isn’t somebody you would look at and be like, ‘Bro, you deserved this to happen to you.'”
Ruggs was the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He has made 20 career appearances in the NFL and has 50 career receptions for 921 yards and 4 touchdowns. But Ruggs has not played in a game since Oct. 24, 2021. The Raiders officially waived him on Nov. 3, 2021.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
