Henry Ruggs voices desire to make NFL return amid prison sentence

Henry Ruggs hopes that one day he will be granted a second chance at his NFL career. It’s a controversial topic, with the former Las Vegas Raiders receiver currently serving prison time for a drunk driving incident in 2021 that resulted in the death of 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog.

Ruggs expressed his remorse for what he had done when he was granted a special release to speak at a Hope for Prisoners event on Tuesday evening. He stated that he wished he could “turn back the hands of time” and also apologized to the family of Tintor.

It was the first time that Ruggs had spoken publicly since the crash, and he got the opportunity to address a number of topics. At one point, he was asked about a potential NFL return, saying that he would do so if given the opportunity.

“Yes, I would love to [play again],” Ruggs said, via Bryan Horwath of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I’m in this newfound spiritual space, and I’m confident in who I am and what I can do, so, when the time comes, I’m sure I’ll be ready.”

Ruggs was sentenced to three to 10 years of prison time on a charge of driving under the influence that resulted in death on May 10, 2023. He is currently in a transitional housing unit with the opportunity for parole coming up on Aug. 6, 2026.

Ruggs was a former first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, but didn’t even play two full seasons prior to his arrest. He totaled 50 catches for 921 yards and four touchdowns across 20 games and would like the chance to end his career on a better note.

“Why would I not?” Ruggs said. “I don’t feel like I ended on the terms that are meaningful to me and my core values. I would love to play again, and what better place to do it than where I started? Not to mention, I was the first-ever pick in Las Vegas.”

Of course, a team would have to be willing to give Ruggs a second chance knowing the attention it would brings. There’s also the question of whether he could get back into game shape after five years away from the field, if he is able to get parole by 2026.

For now, he’ll continue to serve out his prison term and set himself up to re-enter society. Although he has hopes for what that might look like, he knows that right now he is no longer Henry Ruggs the football player.

“If they call me ‘Henry’ or ‘Ruggs,’ I don’t even respond,” Ruggs said of his fellow inmates. “I don’t turn or acknowledge them because that’s not who I am right now.”