It’s been a long road back to the NFL for Damon Arnette Jr. A first-round pick back in 2020, his career never got off the ground before injuries, and then some ugly incidents off the field essentially put a full stop to his run in the league. However, the Houston Texans have taken a chance on him this season, signing him to a one-year deal.
The jury is still out on whether he can go back to being the promising talent out of Ohio State that made him a first-round pick. But for the head coach who drafted him in the first place, Jon Gruden, he sees enough change in his demeanor to assess that his off-field demons might be behind Arnette.
Damon Arnette Jr.’s Return to the NFL Sparks Comment From Jon Gruden
Joining the league in 2020, Arnette’s career never got off the ground. A thumb injury and a COVID-19 diagnosis limited him to just nine games in his rookie season, where he totaled 25 tackles. Four weeks into his second year, the injury bug struck again.
A groin injury put him on the injured reserve list, before the Las Vegas Raiders released him after videos in which he was brandishing firearms and making death threats came out to the public. At the time, the Raiders’ head coach was Jon Gruden.
While he was ultimately removed from Las Vegas for unsavory comments in the locker room as well, Gruden has done a lot over the past four years to change the perception about him. In the meantime, Arnette has been on practice squads for a couple of different teams.
However, he’s now joining the Houston Texans in an official capacity, and his former coach couldn’t be happier for him. Speaking to KPRC2, the official NBC TV affiliate of Houston, Gruden believed his former cornerback had transformed.
Aaron Wilson posted the quote on X. Gruden said, “He’s got a whole new identity. He doesn’t look the same. He doesn’t act the same. He’s not the same. He has changed his identity. He changed the circle of people in his life, in a good way. He’s focused. He’s determined. He’s got to make up for some time that he lost. He’s really concentrating on stringing good days together. I’m really proud of him.”
Jon Gruden to @KPRC2 on new #Texans corner Damon Arnette Jr.
“He’s got a whole new identity. He doesn’t look the same. He doesn’t act the same. He’s not the same. He has changed his identity. He changed the circle of people in his life, in a good way. He’s focused. He’s… https://t.co/wFmehSxgru— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) June 20, 2025
Going a step further, Gruden claimed that Arnette had ‘reinvented himself’, adding, “Some of the best stories I’ve been involved in with coaching is seeing guys turn it around from adversity.”
He added names like Darren Waller and Maxx Crosby to the list of players who were able to exercise their past demons.
Now, Gruden and the rest of the NFL world have to be hoping that Arnette can follow in their footsteps and turn a new corner.