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Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III is asking for parole this August – more than four years after a crash that killed a 23-year-old woman and her dog. Ruggs appeared before the Nevada Board of Parole on Monday, asking the board to grant him “the privilege of parole so I can prove myself to everyone,” according to AL.com.
Standing before the board, Ruggs said he thinks about Tina Tintor’s death every single day.
“Not a minute goes by where I don’t think of the pain I caused her family, her friends and the Las Vegas community. I’m a religious person and pray for her family daily.”
Those words, captured in video obtained by KTNV-TV, came as Ruggs made his case for early release. He was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison in 2023, following a guilty plea to one count of DUI resulting in death and one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. At the time of the crash, he was allegedly driving at 156 mph with a blood-alcohol level of 0.16 – twice Nevada’s legal limit.
The Nevada Board of Parole is expected to reach a decision by June 14. The earliest Ruggs can walk free is Aug. 5.
It’s worth remembering where Ruggs was in his career when all of this happened. The Raiders had taken him with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft – a first-round investment in a receiver they believed could be a long-term weapon. His rookie season was steady if unspectacular; 26 catches, 452 yards, and two touchdowns across 13 games.
His second season looked more promising.
Through seven games in 2021, Ruggs had already matched his rookie touchdown total – hauling in 24 passes for 469 yards before his arrest brought everything to a halt. The Raiders initially said they were gathering information on the crash, but within 24 hours of Ruggs being charged, he was cut. No deliberation, no waiting period – gone.
Ruggs, now 27, said in 2025 that he’s looking to return to the NFL. If the board grants his parole in August, that pursuit could begin sooner than many expected.
