Henry Ruggs might be down, but he hasn’t given up. According to former Raiders teammate Josh Jacobs, Ruggs has been training behind bars, holding onto the hope of making an NFL return.

Jacobs, now with the Green Bay Packers, revealed in a recent conversation that Ruggs has stayed active and in shape while incarcerated, even saying he’s spoken to “multiple teams” open to giving the former wide receiver another shot.

Ruggs, who once ran a blazing 4.27-second 40-yard dash and was the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, is currently serving a sentence of three to ten years for a 2021 DUI crash that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog. The court sentenced him in August 2023, and he remains incarcerated at Casa Grande Transitional Housing in Nevada. Despite the grim circumstances, Ruggs seems determined to stay ready if the chance comes.

Could An NFL Comeback Be Realistic For Henry Ruggs?

Wide receiver Henry Ruggs (Photo By Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
The road ahead is murky. Ruggs will become eligible for parole in August 2026, and if released then, he’ll be 27 years old. That’s still within playing age, especially for someone with his physical gifts. However, returning to professional football after several years away is no small task, especially given the nature of his exit.

At the time of the crash, Ruggs was driving between 127 and 156 miles per hour on a Las Vegas street with a 45 mph limit. His blood alcohol content was 0.16, twice the legal limit. The impact ended Tintor’s life and ended Ruggs’ career, at least for now. After pleading guilty to felony DUI resulting in death, he began his prison term on August 9, 2023.

Even if Ruggs gets released in 2026, any team interested would have to weigh the immense public scrutiny. Yet history shows that the NFL has, at times, offered second chances. Michael Vick returned after serving 18 months for dogfighting. Donte Stallworth, Leonard Little, and Josh Brent all made comebacks after DUI-related cases, though their sentences were shorter.

Ruggs’ case stands apart because of the length of his sentence and the tragic details involved. Still, Jacobs’ comments hint at at least a flicker of interest from teams. Ruggs currently works in a Carson City government office while serving time, and reports about his exact training conditions remain unconfirmed.

Whether the NFL opens its doors again for Ruggs depends on more than fitness. It hinges on timing, public response, and whether any team is willing to take the heat for giving him a second shot