Getty Alabama football coach Nick Saban.
Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs continues to deal with the legal fallout regarding a November 2 car crash that resulted in the death of 23-year-old woman Tina Tintor and her dog. According to Clark County Nevada district attorney Steve Wolfson, Ruggs faces more than 50 years in prison after being charged with four felonies and one misdemeanor, including DUI resulting in death.
The wide receiver had no red flags regarding his character when the Raiders made him a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Coming out of Alabama, Ruggs was considered a hard-working and competitive player but nothing negative came out about his character. After the news regarding the crash came out, Alabama head football coach Nick Saban said Ruggs “never had any issues” and was a “first-class citizen,” via Mike Rodak of AL.com.
“I hate it for him, but we’re also very sensitive to the decision that he made and the catastrophic consequence for other folks that it created, and what it is going to create for him and his future as well,” Saban said.
Saban recruited Ruggs coming out of high school and then coached him for three years in college. If anybody would know that he had character issues, it would be Saban.
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Devonta Smith Has Spoken With Ruggs
GettyHenry Ruggs with Devonta Smith.
During his time at Alabama, Ruggs made many friends who went on to play in the NFL. Perhaps his best friend is Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Devonta Smith. The two were roommates at Alabama and continue to remain close. Smith was hit hard by the news.
“First off, my heart breaks for everybody that was involved, the family of the young lady that lost her life,” Smith said. “It was rough at the beginning [of the week], but just coming in every day, being with the guys, they kind of gathered with me, helped me out a lot.”
The two recently got to play against each other for the first time in Week 7 when the Eagles traveled to Las Vegas to face the Raiders. That was the last game Ruggs played in before the crash. Smith revealed that he has spoken to Ruggs and the wide receiver is “in good spirits.”
“I’m just glad that he’s himself, he’s gotten himself together and he’s not just down on himself,” Smith said.
Jalen Hurts Has ‘a Lot of Love’ for Ruggs
Alabama players share a strong connection with each other even after they leave school. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts briefly played with Ruggs and had a chance to discuss the situation.
“Obviously, I have a lot of love for DeVonta. I love him like a brother. I have a lot of love for Henry Ruggs as well. I love him like a brother,” Hurts said, via ESPN. “My ‘Bama brother. It’s tough for all of us to experience what we experienced this week, how tragic of a situation it was. But we’re all warriors and we all see it through.”
The Ruggs news affected many around the NFL and it has been tough for some players to overcome. In the Raiders’ first game without him, they lost 23-16 to the New York Giants.
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Nick Saban Sends Message Regarding Ex-Raiders WR Henry Ruggs