Las Vegas Raiders
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These days, there are several paths to playing in the NFL. Yet, once the league is done giving you opportunities, it’s time to consider other options. That was the case for a former Las Vegas Raiders first-round pick who made just 13 appearances across two seasons and hasn’t played an NFL snap since 2021.
Damon Arnette, the 19th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, ruined his opportunity with the Raiders after they discovered he posted a video of himself brandishing firearms while making death threats. The Miami Dolphins signed him to their practice squad, but he didn’t return for the next season. The Dolphins cut bait on him before the Kansas City Chiefs.
Today, the 28-year-old is back at it, playing for the UFL’s Houston Roughnecks, where he’s already made a strong first impression. So strong, that Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio indicates NFL teams are beginning to reach out about his situation.
“His play has led some NFL teams to reach out to the Roughnecks to gather information about the corner.”
PFT’s Mike Florio on Damon Arnette
According to Arnette, he says he feels that he’s “proved a complete turnaround. If so, teams could very well be at his doorstep once the UFL season ends.
“With coaches, I feel like I’ve proved a complete turnaround,” Arnette said. “All the coaches that have been with me right now, I feel like their words would be more valuable because I’ve said a lot of things in the past. What I would say is what they see on film, that’s me being out of commission for three years. I’m a dawg on the field. I’m more of a professional now than I ever was before. I wasn’t a professional before. I was just a dawg. I found professionalism and a calm state of mind. I feel like I’m the best version of myself that I’ve ever been.”
Damon Arnette on his journey
Arnette has compiled 18 tackles, a sack, and a 51-yard pick-six in the UFL this year. If Arnette truly is capable of making plays on a consistent basis, it may only be a matter of time before he’s given yet another opportunity in the NFL.
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