Former Raiders receiver Henry Ruggs III, the first receiver taken in the 2021 draft, is serving a sentence of three to 10 years after pleading guilty to DUI resulting in death and one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. He’ll soon be eligible for parole.
Via Mark Inabinett of AL.com, Ruggs has initiated the process of seeking his release. He recently appeared before the Nevada Board of Parole on Monday to make his case for early release.
In November 2021, Ruggs collided with a car driven by 23-year-old Tina Tintor. At the time of impact, Ruggs’s Corvette was traveling 127 miles per hour. His blood-alcohol concentration was measured to be 0.161 percent.
“Not a minute goes by where I don’t think of the pain I caused her family, her friends and the Las Vegas community,” Ruggs told the parole board. “I’m a religious person and pray for her family daily.”
Ruggs’s earliest possible parole date is August 5, 2026.
Last year, Ruggs was moved from a minimum-security transitional housing facility to a medium-security prison, due to unspecified rules violations. It’s unknown whether and to what extent those violations will impact his opportunity to receive parole. As of June 2024, Ruggs was working outside the facility, at the Nevada governor’s mansion.
In June 2025, Ruggs made it clear that he would love to return to football. If/when he receives parole, the NFL will have to decide whether he’ll be cleared to sign with a team. If/when he is, a team will have to decide whether to sign him.
In 20 career games, with 19 starts, Ruggs caught 50 passes for 921 yards and four touchdowns. The Raiders released Ruggs on the same day the crash occurred.
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