Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs has taken another step in his prison sentence.
Ruggs was transferred earlier this month to a minimum-custody transitional housing facility in Reno, according to a Nevada Department of Corrections official.
So, no more NFL Sundays for now. This chapter is about rehabilitation, supervision and preparing for life after prison.
Ruggs was sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to driving under the influence resulting in death. The case stemmed from a November 2021 crash in Las Vegas that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog, Max.
Ruggs, 27, was approved as a “community trusty” in July and was transferred to Northern Nevada Transitional Housing on Sept. 4, Nevada Department of Corrections spokesperson Teri Vance said in a Friday email.
A trusty is a minimum-custody offender who is allowed to work outside of a closed institution, Vance said. She said the transitional housing center is intended to house eligible nonviolent offenders who were not convicted of sex offenses and who are within 18 months of their parole eligibility dates.
“The main purpose is to allow trusties the opportunity to seek work and secure permanent housing prior to reintegrating into society,” Vance said.
Vance did not say where Ruggs was working. Ruggs’ attorney David Chesnoff said he was unavailable to provide comment.
It was a devastating case that ended his promising NFL career almost overnight.
In June, the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners denied Ruggs’ bid for parole. Commissioner Sandy Schmitt said previously that Ruggs was eligible for parole beginning on Aug. 5 and had a mandatory parole date of Aug. 24, 2027. She added guidelines recommended that Ruggs be paroled at his first or second hearing.
At the time of the 2021 crash, Ruggs was speeding down Rainbow Boulevard in a Corvette Stingray when he struck the rear of Tintor’s SUV, according to authorities.
Ruggs was driving 156 mph seconds before the crash, and authorities said his blood alcohol content was 0.16 percent, twice the legal limit.
Football fans had plenty of reasons to watch him, then everything changed in one night.
The transfer also puts the focus back on what comes next for Ruggs. His NFL career appears to be over, and his path forward will depend on completing his sentence and following the requirements placed on him.
There is no touchdown celebration waiting at the end of this journey, there is no contract extension.
There is simply the reality of rebuilding a life after a fatal decision.
