The Las Vegas Raiders have started from scratch this offseason. They have a new head coach, new personnel, and a new hope that this group will be able to help kickstart a rebuild that the team has been putting off for quite some time. A slew of bad decisions put Las Vegas in this tough spot, one of which saw the team draft wide receiver Henry Ruggs in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
The No. 12 overall pick in the draft, the Raiders had high hopes for Ruggs, but he struggled early in his career. Things took a turn for the worse when he killed a woman in a car crash in Las Vegas, resulting in a three-to-10-year prison sentence. Recently, Ruggs filed a parole request, and he received a major update in his quest to get out of prison.
Henry Ruggs’ Parole Request Gets Denied
After a standout collegiate career with the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Raiders had high hopes for Ruggs, hence their use of a high first-round draft pick on him. Even when he was on the field, though, Ruggs’ production left a lot to be desired, as he only managed to catch 50 passes for 921 yards and four touchdowns over the first 20 games of his career.
Once the news of Ruggs’ fatal car crash came to light, Las Vegas quickly released him. After pleading guilty to felony DUI causing death and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, Ruggs was sentenced to his aforementioned stint in prison, meaning he is approaching the minimum required time he has to spend behind bars.
Ruggs’ decision to file a parole request caught the attention of some football fans, especially since a report emerged in 2025 indicating that he was training for a potential NFL comeback should he be released from prison soon. The former Raider had his request denied, however, meaning he will have to wait nearly a full year before he can go before the parole board again.
“Ex-NFL player Henry Ruggs III was denied parole nearly five years after killing a woman in a car crash in Las Vegas, the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners ruled Thursday,” ESPN reported. “Ruggs will go before the parole board again three months before his Aug. 24, 2027, mandatory parole release date, according to Kathi Baker, executive director of the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners.”
Could Henry Ruggs Actually Return to the NFL?
GettyWide receiver Henry Ruggs III walks off the field before the Raiders’ preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks on August 14, 2021.
Considering how a life was lost because of Ruggs’ actions, his return to football feels like a foolish discussion for the time being. However, if he does find his way out of prison in the near future, and he has actually been training like reports indicate he has been, it’s fair to wonder whether he could find his way back on the field.
Of course, a lot would have to happen in order for all of this to take place, and whether or not teams would even be interested in taking a flier on Ruggs is another question. For now, though, this isn’t a matter worth discussing, as Ruggs will have to wait several more months before he can potentially find his way out of prison.
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