Ex-Raiders HC Jon Gruden Reacts to Damon Arnette News originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
After a successful workout, the Houston Texans are reportedly working on signing former Las Vegas Raiders first-round pick Damon Arnette. The former Ohio State standout has spent this year playing for the Houston Roughnecks of the UFL, and his play has been good enough for an NFL team to give him a shot.
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When the Raiders drafted Arnette in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, it was met with a lot of backlash from fans. He was widely considered a second or third-round prospect.
Former head coach Jon Gruden wasn’t technically the general manager at the time, but he did have final say on all roster moves. He reacted to the news that Arnette has signed with the Texans.
Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden.Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
“I see a guy who has reinvented himself,” Gruden told KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson. “He has done it very impressively. I hope he continues to do that. We’ll all be able to pull for him. Some of the best stories I’ve been involved in with coaching is seeing guys turn it around from adversity. Darren Waller is a great example. He had problems and fixed himself. So did Maxx Crosby. Damon Arnette can do that as well. Hopefully, this opportunity leads to something great.”
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Arnette never had a chance to really show what he could do at the NFL level. He only played in 13 games and was banged up for much of them. He played very poorly for the most part, but he also never had a chance to get into rhythm.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.