Damon Arnette, the former first-round pick by the Las Vegas Raiders, has now signed a one-year contract with the Houston Texans. This signing represents his thrilling return to the NFL! This signing follows a recent pattern of legal troubles and off-field issues. These challenges have had a drastic impact on his developmental career since he was drafted No.
Arnette, who the Raiders took in the first round of 2020, played just 13 games in two seasons with the team. His time with the team didn’t last long when he was released in November 2021. Those serious allegations led to a decision not to renominate him. A lawsuit from an apparent hit-and-run incident appeared, as did a video of him in front of a white supremacist punk band making death threats while waving around automatic weapons.
After the Raiders released him, Arnette quickly signed a futures contract with the Kansas City Chiefs on January 20, 2022. This would end his short time with the team. His tenure with the Chiefs came to a stunning and unfortunate end when he was arrested in Las Vegas just nine days later. He was charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, possession of controlled substances, and other charges.
Arnette’s legal troubles did not cease there. In July 2022, he was arrested in Miami on similar charges. This incident led him to participate in a diversion program. Arnette’s efforts to turn his public relations nightmare around hit a speed bump in January 2024. He was arrested once more in Richardson, Texas, for drug possession—meth—and unlawful carrying of a firearm.
In May 2023, a grand jury indicted Arnette on felony assault with a deadly weapon as well as firearm-related charges. He was accused of beating a young woman and slamming her head into the floor during a wild house party. On June 10, a federal judge in Colorado issued a groundbreaking ruling. Among other things, he ordered Arnette to pay more than $78,000 to a dancer who Arnette violently assaulted.
Despite these challenges, Arnette found a new opportunity in professional football when he played for the Houston Roughnecks in the United Football League (UFL) in 2025. His strong play there certainly put him on the radar of NFL squads, culminating in his recent signing with the Houston Texans.
Now, the Houston Texans are giving Arnette a second chance. They’re banking on the fact that he can move past a checkered history and become an asset to a still-developing roster. The team plans to help with his readjustment to the game and level while keeping a close eye on his rehabilitation.
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