Report: Former Raiders CB Damon Arnette Arrested in January on Drug, Gun Charges
Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRT
Featured Columnist IVFebruary 26, 2024
Former Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Damon Arnette was arrested on Jan. 6 in Richardson, Texas, and charged with possession of less than a gram of meth and unlawful carrying of a firearm, according to Ian Rapoport and Clayton Holloway of NFL Network.
Arnette's legal counsel released a statement on the incident:
Arnette, 27, was selected by the Raiders with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. He played in just 13 games with the team across two seasons, however, registering 29 tackles and three passes defensed.
The Raiders released him in November 2021 after video surfaced online of him appearing to threaten another person's life while holding multiple guns. He was never charged with a crime at the time, however.
He also reportedly crashed four rental cars in his rookie season alone:
Ian Rapoport @RapSheetThere were troubling off-the-field signs everywhere for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Raiders?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Raiders</a> first-rounder Damon Arnette. For instance: In his first year in the NFL, Arnette crashed four rental cars within roughly a month, sources said. Now, after a tumultuous weekend including online threats, he's out.
The Dolphins signed him to their practice squad for the remainder of the 2021 season.
The Chiefs then signed him to a reserve/futures contract in January 2022 but released him a little over a week later after he was arrested in Las Vegas and charged with assault with a deadly weapon and carrying a concealed firearm.
He ultimately pleaded guilty to reduced misdemeanor charges of assault and drawing a deadly weapon and was sentenced in August 2023 to 50 hours of community service and a $2,000 fine. District Judge Ronald Israel also told Arnette to stay away from guns during sentencing, emphasizing, "No guns means no guns."
He was also instructed to stay out out of trouble for 90 days, lest he face a potential year in prison.
"I'm remorseful about everything," Arnette told reporters at the time. "I do have regrets, but I'm not dwelling on it because I'm a better man than what I was."
He also said he was hopeful to play in the NFL again and told reporters he had a flight booked to Dallas to potentially sign with the Dallas Cowboys, though the team denied any potential meeting was planned:
Arnette didn't catch on with a team last season, and at this point he's likely extinguished any chances at an NFL comeback.