Las Vegas Raiders

Former Raiders defensive back Damon Arnette -- one of Las Vegas' first-round picks in 2020 -- has just entered a diversion program in an attempt to close out his drug case in Florida, TMZ Sports has learned.

A spokesperson for the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office tells us the 26-year-old will be a part of the program for three to six months.

We're told Arnette must, among other conditions, submit to random drug testing, complete a substance abuse evaluation, report monthly, and pay fees as part of the program.

If he complies with all of the conditions, the spokesperson said prosecutors will revisit his charges.

As we previously reported, Arnette was initially hit with felony cocaine possession and misdemeanor knowingly driving with a suspended license following two incidents with police back in July.

According to police documents, cops pulled over Arnette on July 25 and say he was driving on a suspended license. They issued him a citation and informed him he was not to drive until he gets his license reinstated.

But, just hours later on July 26, cops in the police report say they saw Arnette driving again ... and pulled him over once again and this time arrested him for knowingly driving with a suspended license. Cops say they then searched him and found a baggie containing "white powdery substance consistent with that of cocaine" on his person.

It was the second time in the last year that Arnette had been arrested -- he was previously busted in January in Las Vegas after he was accused of pointing a semi-automatic pistol at a valet demanding the person "give me my motherf***ing keys."

That case was ultimately dropped.

Jon Gruden is hoping to get one more chance at leading an NFL team, and his former player Andre Rison says he deserves that opportunity ... telling TMZ Sports he would not defend the coach if he truly believed he was not a man of character.

The former Raiders coach recently opened up about the email scandal that led to his departure in Las Vegas ... saying his words were "shameful," but hoping his mistakes wouldn't permanently keep him out of the league.

Rison -- who played for Gruden on the Raiders in 2000 -- tells us he believes his old coach is sincere about his regret and accountability ... and says if he were in charge of a team right now, he'd be giving Jon a call.

"No one is God," Rison said. "For some reason in today's time, everybody think they're God now because social media and whatever other platforms that they can voice their opinions."

"God gave him the gift to coach and it's up to him and God if he repents, and forgives for his negatives and his faults and his defaults, I have no problem with it."

Rison says he knows firsthand Gruden is not racist ... adding, "For him to be a racist, if he was a racist, he darn sure gave a lot of black athletes chances and opportunities to put food on the table for their families."

Gruden has been out of the league since 2021 ... when his emails including homophobic and racist language were made public.

Rison says Gruden should get the benefit of the doubt.

Jon Gruden says he still wants another NFL coaching gig -- despite being forced out of his Las Vegas Raiders job amid allegations he fired off emails containing racist language.

Gruden -- who spent two seasons at the helm with the Raiders -- said during an interview at the Little Rock Touchdown Club on Tuesday that he takes accountability for the email scandal that sullied his reputation and cost him his job.

"I'm ashamed about what has come about in these emails, and I'll make no excuses for it," Gruden said. "It's shameful, but I am a good person. I believe that. I go to church, I've been married for 31 years, [I] got three great boys."

"I still love football. I've made mistakes, but I don't think anybody in here hasn't, and I just ask for forgiveness, and hopefully, I get another shot."

In October, The Wall Street Journal reported Gruden sent an email to then-Washington Football Team exec Bruce Allen, commenting on NFLPA director DeMaurice Smith.

"Dumboriss Smith has lips the size of Michelin tires," Gruden wrote, according to the report.

Gruden became embroiled in even more controversy -- The New York Times reported he referred to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in emails as a "f*****" and "clueless anti-football p****."

Jon apologized for sending the email about Smith's lips -- calling the comment "horrible" and insisting he "doesn't have an ounce of racism in me."

Shortly after, Gruden resigned as coach, saying ... "I love the Raiders and do not want to be a distraction. Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation."

"I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone."

The former Tampa Bay Bucs coach -- who won a Super Bowl with the team in 2003 -- expressed remorse and is passionate about someday coaching in the NFL again.

Tom Brady was apparently all set to become a Raider after leaving the Patriots -- that is, until Jon Gruden stepped in and shot it down ... this according to Dana White.

The UFC honcho broke down the story Saturday during the UFC 278 broadcast ... telling Rob Gronkowski and a bunch of other panelists that TB12 was, in fact, gunning to join the Las Vegas Raiders ... something DW had been pitching him on for a long time at that point.

This was all happening during Tom's free agency period in 2020, BTW, and per Dana ... the GOAT was actually already scoping out houses in the area. So it sounds like it was just about a done deal -- with Dana working behind the scenes to make it all happen.

Not just that ... but Rob himself was apparently going to join Tom there in Vegas under this would-be move. The reason it fell apart, so says Dana, is because of the ex-head coach.

Gruden allegedly blew it up last minute, saying he didn't want Tom and co. -- and, apparently, the ownership listened to him. Tom ended up joining the Bucs instead, and went on to win the Super Bowl later in 2021 ... with none other than Gronk by his side for the glory.

Dana later elaborated a bit on the tale, telling reporters Brady wasn't happy about it at the time ... but wouldn't get into the exact details of what Gruden's beef was.

Of course, he ended up getting canned by the organization amid a racism controversy from prior emails.

Gruden ended up suing the league and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, claiming the leaked correspondence was part of a coordinated character assassination.

More legal trouble for former Las Vegas Raiders first-round pick Damon Arnette ... he was just arrested again -- this time after cops say they found a cocaine-like substance in his pocket during a traffic stop.

According to police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, Arnette was pulled over twice in his gray Dodger Charger on Monday night/Tuesday morning in Miami Beach, Fl.

During the first stop, which police say occurred at around 8:56 PM on Monday, cops say in the documents they found Arnette had been driving on a suspended license -- and issued him a citation.

According to the docs, cops say they told him he was not permitted to drive the vehicle until his license was reinstated -- though they did say they "permitted another licensed driver to drive the vehicle from the traffic stop."

Cops, though, claim in the documents that hours later -- at around 12:48 AM on Tuesday -- they noticed Arnette driving the same car, so they pulled him over again.

During that stop, cops said in the docs as soon as they verified he was, in fact, the driver of the car -- they placed him under arrest and cited him for knowingly driving with a suspended license.

But, during the arrest, cops say they searched Arnette's person, and found a small baggie "containing white powdery substance consistent with that of cocaine" in his front pants pocket.

They say they also found a straw "that was cut into a small piece resembling a device that is common for cocaine usage."

Jail records show Arnette was booked at 3:09 AM on three charges -- possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving on a suspended license. It's unclear if he's bonded out yet.

Of course, this is not the first run-in with the law Arnette has faced since he was drafted into the NFL -- you'll recall, he was arrested in Vegas back in January 2022 after he allegedly threatened a valet with a gun.

Arnette was released by the Kansas City Chiefs immediately following that arrest. He had previously been cut by the Raiders in 2021 after a video appearing to show him holding guns while making threats had surfaced.

25-year-old Arnette has played in just 13 total games since he was drafted. He's currently an NFL free agent.

For the first time since 2021, Henry Ruggs appeared in a courtroom in Las Vegas for a hearing in his DUI crash case.

The 23-year-old former Las Vegas Raiders star -- who was charged back in November 2021 with four felonies after prosecutors accused him of killing Tina Tintor and her dog in a fiery car crash -- showed up to the Nevada courthouse alongside his attorneys.

During the hearing, Ruggs' lawyers argued that police had no probable cause to obtain a warrant to collect his blood following the car accident. They asked for the tests -- which cops say showed Ruggs had a BAC of .161 following the wreck -- to not be allowed to be used as evidence in the case.

The judge, however, denied the motion.

Ruggs appeared to be stoic in the courtroom as his attorneys spoke, displaying little emotion. He wore a white button-down shirt, a black bowtie, and blue pants and did not address reporters inside or outside of the courtroom.

This is the first time Ruggs has been seen in public since late November 2021, when he was ordered to show up for a hearing over a missed breath test.

As we reported, Ruggs is facing more than 50 years in prison if he's convicted on all of the charges against him.

The Las Vegas Raiders just announced they are hiring Sandra Douglass Morgan to be the team's new president ... making her the first Black woman to occupy such a role in NFL history.

"I am thrilled to join you as we embark on one of the most exciting times in the history of our organization," Morgan said in a letter announcing her hire, obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

"I look forward to meeting each of you in person over the coming weeks," she added.

Morgan -- an attorney and the former Chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board -- steps into her new role just a few months after the then-team exec. Dan Ventrelle was fired by the organization.

Ventrelle claims the only reason he was let go is because he reported to the NFL that team owner Mark Davis did nothing to address the issue of a hostile work environment.

Morgan joins the Raiders with an extensive résumé -- last year, she served as the vice-chair of the Las Vegas Super Bowl host committee and worked with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

The former attorney joins the Raiders after a troubling year for the franchise -- several of the team's biggest stars got into trouble off the field ... and Jon Gruden resigned after he was found to have used offensive language in emails.

Morgan's husband, Don, used to play in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals ... and she's been connected to Vegas since a young age.

"The Raiders have a long legacy of greatness, because of each of you and because of visionaries like Mark’s father, Al," Morgan wrote.

If you've got Davante Adams on your fantasy team, it might be time to sell high ... 'cause Brett Favre tells TMZ Sports he's expecting a drop-off from the wideout now that he's left Aaron Rodgers.

Favre made it clear it's no shade on Adams or Derek Carr -- the receiver's new QB in Las Vegas -- he just truly believes Rodgers made the 29-year-old that much better.

"It's just hard to shift gears," Favre said, "especially from a player as prolific as Aaron Rodgers."

Adams was a stat monster in Green Bay, particularly this past season ... when he caught 123 balls for 1,553 yards and 11 TDs.

Favre, though, is expecting that to change in 2022-23 after he was traded to the Raiders ... telling us, "I'd be shocked if he had the same year."

"I think Derek Carr is a very good quarterback," Brett said. "But, he's not in Aaron's league yet. May never be. And, that's no disrespect."

As for how Rodgers will fare without Adams ... Favre clearly believes it won't impact the future Hall of Famer too much.

Raiders star Johnathan Abram has a big heart -- and, apparently, some good construction skills -- 'cause he just donated beds to a family in need, and he built the frames himself!

The NFL safety and his foundation, Johnathan's Journey For Better, partnered up with Sleep in Heavenly Peace for the awesome gesture ... helping gift three beds, sheet sets, and pillows to a Las Vegas family this month.

Abram -- who, according to his reps, has gained a newfound passion for home improvement and construction -- assembled the beds with his own hands and power tools, and then personally delivered them to the Vegas fam.

"Basically they went from having no beds to being able to sleep here tonight," Abram said.

The 25-year-old chilled with the kids after the beds were all set up ... and TMZ Sports has learned they even talked a little football!

"It's been amazing," Abram said of the day. "I was glad to see the family smiling and happy. They were really grateful for their new beds and everything."

Abram -- a former first-round pick -- is known to help those in need since becoming a Raider in 2019. Just last year, he donated athletic sneakers to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Nevada, and in 2020, he gifted laptops to the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada.

Warren Sapp says he was told Colin Kaepernick's tryout with the Raiders last month did not go well at all for the QB ... explaining, "I heard it was a disaster."

"I heard it was one the worst workouts ever," the Hall of Famer added.

Sapp, who played for the Raiders when they were in Oakland from 2004 to 2007, made the claims in a recent interview with VladTV.

The 49-year-old former defensive lineman did not reveal who within Las Vegas' org. made the claims ... but he did say he was surprised footage from the workout never got leaked.

"I'm wondering how the hell this happened," Sapp said, "and the tape didn't get out, right?"

As we reported, Kaepernick tried out for Vegas in late May ... but the Raiders have been tight-lipped about the workout ever since, with head coach Josh McDaniels declining to get into specifics of how it all went.

Kaepernick's agent, Jeff Nalley, denied Sapp's claims in a text message to Pro Football Talk on Sunday ... saying he was told the workout was actually a success.

"I guess Warren didn’t talk to the General Manager or the head coach," Nalley said.

"I spoke to the G.M. [Dave Zieger] several times and he said they all thought Kap was in great shape and threw the ball really well and encouraged any team to call him about the workout and he would tell them the same."

Nalley continued, "I'm surprised Warren would say that, because it's not true and you would think he would want Kap on a team."

Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis is making an astonishing donation to help the Uvalde community following the tragic shooting that left 21 dead ... pledging $1 million to increase security in the school district.

The Uvalde Leader-News reported the gesture on Thursday ... saying Davis decided to step in and help out after conversations with former Raiders star Vann McElroy, who grew up and currently lives in Uvalde, Texas.

Davis presented the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District with the check via a Zoom call this week ... saying, "We are proud to be part of something to make the children in these schools safer."

"Two weeks ago, I had a conversation with Vann. He told me about the hurt his hometown was going through."

"He said that Uvalde was in pain and needed help," Davis added. "I asked him what we would do to help ease that pain."

The donation will go toward installing impenetrable doors, security cameras inside and outside, as well as building an unscalable fence outside.

The gesture comes amid criticism of local law enforcement's response to the tragedy ... as well as the shooter's access to the school.

If the Raiders ultimately end up wanting to sign Colin Kaepernick, Derek Carr is making it clear he won't have any issues with it, telling reporters Tuesday he "loves" the former 49ers star.

Speaking with media members for the first time since Kaepernick worked out for Las Vegas coaches last month, Carr said he'd welcome the 34-year-old into the Raiders' quarterback room with no problems at all.

"I've enjoyed my time around him," said Carr, who actually played against Kaepernick back in their college days and in the NFL. "I love him. Him and I would get along great."

Carr said he's pretty sure the rest of Vegas' locker room feels the same way he does as well.

"For us," Carr said, "I think he'd be great."

No word on if the Raiders are actually planning to sign Kaepernick following the tryout ... head coach Josh McDaniels did not provide much insight about their feelings on the signal-caller in the days after working out the QB.

For now, the Raiders' QB roster consists of Carr, Nick Mullens, Chase Garbers and Jarrett Stidham ... but if the team suddenly wants to add Kaepernick to that mix, Carr is making it obvious he won't stand in the way of it.

Ah, what could have been.

Tom Brady was choppin' it up with Mark Davis at the Las Vegas Aces game on Tuesday ... a sight that would be a lot more frequent had the NFL superstar's free agency gone differently in 2020.

TB12 soaked in some WNBA action ahead of his big golf showdown against QBs Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes in "The Match" ... and ended up sharing a moment with the Raiders owner.

Of course, Brady reportedly had LV on his shortlist of teams back when he left the Patriots in free agency two years ago ... and famously said in an episode of "The Shop" he was shocked a team (people assumed he was talking about the Raiders) chose to stick with "that motherf***er" (hi, Derek Carr) over him.

Anywho, TB12 was posted up with his sister and Jim Gray for the Aces' matchup against the Connecticut Sun ... a victory for the home team.

Brady was able to chat with players while at the game as well ... keeping cool, calm and collected just hours before hitting the links.

Warren Moon says if the Raiders do sign Colin Kaepernick, the Hall of Famer could see them using the QB in packages similar to ones that Cam Newton and Tim Tebow have had in the past.

Speaking just a day after Kaep completed a workout for Vegas coaches and execs ... Moon told TMZ Sports he didn't see the tryout as some sort of publicity stunt for the Raiders.

Instead, Moon told us because of the way Josh McDaniels has coached Newton and Tebow in special roles at previous stops -- he could see the Raiders head man developing similar dual-threat packages for Kaepernick.

"[McDaniels] knows how to work with that type of quarterback," the NFL legend said. "Maybe there's a package of plays that he can put in that help the Raiders maybe in game time situations."

Moon says in addition to that, he sees Kaepernick's experience also being a benefit if the Raiders do ultimately sign him to a deal.

"If you look at the backups they have right now, they don't have a whole lot of experience as far as game time," Moon said. "So, I think it makes a lot of sense to bring him in and take a look and see what he's still got left."

If Kaepernick -- who hasn't played in the NFL since the 2016 season but has been training like a madman recently to get back -- doesn't ultimately get a Raiders contract ... he said he's hopeful the Vegas tryout opens the door for other teams in the future.

Colin Kaepernick could be back in the NFL as early as next month ... 'cause the quarterback has scheduled a workout with the Raiders -- and if it goes well, the team could sign him to a contract.

ESPN's Adam Schefter just broke the news ... reporting the tryout will go down in just a few days.

Kaepernick has been preparing like a madman for this for years -- but has recently ramped up his workouts in the last few months for this specific moment.

As we reported, the 34-year-old has toured the country since the end of winter a few months ago, throwing to wide receivers in various cities weekly.

And, at one of his most recent stops in Washington, he pleaded with NFL GMs to just give him a tryout ... explaining, "I think my talent, my skill set will speak for itself."

The Raiders' owner, Mark Davis, has always been open to giving Kaepernick that chance -- saying back in April he believed the guy could still play.

"If our coaches and general manager want to bring him in or want him to be the quarterback on this team," Davis said, "I would welcome him with open arms."

After 20 years of endless debate, Tom Brady is finally caving into the possibility that the controversial "tuck rule play" from the Patriots' 2001 playoff game "might have" been a fumble ... and naturally, the Raiders had something to say.

The 44-year-old took to social media to make the revelation with the help of none other than Justin Bieber on Thursday ... admitting there's a chance he may have gotten away with a fumble that the refs didn't call in the classic AFC Divisional Round game.

Here's the deal -- Bieber posted a TikTok asking his followers to tell him something honest (to promote his new single called, you guessed it, "Honest") ... which opened the door for Brady to make the public admission.

"The Tuck Rule game against the Raiders might have been a fumble," Brady said in the vid ... adding, "Keep this on the down-low please" in the accompanying tweet.

Remember, the Raiders were leading 13-10 with 1:47 left in the 4th quarter when Brady -- who started the season as Drew Bledsoe's backup -- dropped back to make a pass as defensive back, Charles Woodson, was blitzing off the edge.

Brady "lost the ball," but the refs ruled that because his arm was going forward, the play was an incomplete pass -- much to the dismay of Raiders fans.

The rest was history ... as the Pats went on to defeat the Raiders in overtime, 16-13, then march to the Super Bowl, where they beat the Rams, 20-17.

The Raiders' Twitter account had a hilarious reaction to TB12's vid ... saying, "Knew it."

While Brady has seemingly softened his stance on the play, he still believes the refs probably made the right call.

"I said might. Such a tough call. No choice but to respect the official's probably correct decision."