Henry Ruggs III seeks release on parole five years after deadly crash
By Erich Richter
Former first-round pick Henry Ruggs III wants out from behind bars.
The ex-NFL receiver, who was drafted with the 12th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, killed Tina Tintor and her dog while driving — at two times the legal limit while under the influence of alcohol — at 156 mph.
Ruggs was sentenced to three to 10 years in a Nevada state prison following his guilty plea in December 2023.
Ruggs III becomes eligible for parole on Aug. 5 and has initiated the process to seek his release, AL.com reported.
“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 III was previously moved from a minimum-security transitional housing facility to a medium-security prison due to unspecified rules violations.
He had reportedly been training for a potential NFL return in 2025, as he has not given up on his NFL dreams.
While a member of the Raiders, Ruggs really struggled to gain a footing in the league despite his lofty draft status.
Ruggs III combined for just 921 receiving yards in two seasons (20 games played) before his career cratered as a result of the fatal car crash and ensuing DUI.
The Raiders released Ruggs III after the incident and has been a free agent ever since, giving him the opportunity to sign anywhere if there’s interest — though that’s far from certain.
Ruggs III was an NFL Combine dynamo, running an absurd 4.27 40-yard dash just behind John Ross’ record (at the time) of 4.22.
He flew up draft boards immediately after the impressive showing but had a difficult time adding to his route tree and beating coverages consistently, while Derek Carr struggled to find him in stride.
