Eagles Star DeVonta Smith Excused From Practice To Attend Henry Ruggs' Sentencing
Eagles Star DeVonta Smith Excused From Practice ... To Attend Ruggs' Sentencing Hearing
DeVonta Smith cared so much about supporting Henry Ruggs during his sentencing hearing on Wednesday ... the Eagles star was reportedly excused from practice so he could be there in person.
The former Heisman Trophy winner, according to Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Jeff McLane, left Birds camp in Philly in order to be in Las Vegas for Ruggs' proceedings.
At the hearing, Ruggs was sentenced to three-to-10 years in prison over the 2021 car crash that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog -- though it's unclear if Smith actually made it into the courtroom for the ruling.
Of course, Smith and Ruggs formed a great friendship during their time at Alabama ... the two were roommates, and Smith said back in 2021 before the accident that they had always "dreamed of" playing against one another in the NFL.
“That’s my brother from another mother.” - @DeVontaSmith_6 on college teammate, Henry Ruggs III pic.twitter.com/wOUXQ3n1jr
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) October 21, 2021 @Eagles
In fact, Smith added at the time that he considered Ruggs "my brother from another mother."
Following the crash, Smith said he was heartbroken over the tragedy ... explaining he had to lean on his teammates to help him get through the shock of it.
Ruggs, meanwhile, apologized to Tintor's family at the hearing ... saying in a statement to the courtroom that he knows he "hurt so many" with his actions.
The former football players' attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, added in a statement of their own that Ruggs was ready to serve his prison sentence. They also promised that once he's released, Ruggs "will return to making positive contributions to his community."
