Damon Arnette's off-field troubles continue.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Monday that the ex-Ohio State and NFL cornerback was arrested and charged with possession of less than a gram of methamphetamine as well as unlawful carrying of a firearm in January.
A cautionary tale: Ex-#Raiders first-round pick CB Damon Arnette was arrested on Jan. 6 at 3:30 am and charged with possession of less than a gram of meth and unlawful carrying of a firearm, per me and @HollowayNFLN. The previously unreported arrest was in Richardson, TX.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 26, 2024
The arrest occurred in Richardson, Texas, less than a 40-minute drive from Arnette’s birthplace of Dallas.
Arnette's defense team released a statement later Tuesday evening saying that his arrest was predicated on a "lawful medication" he was prescribed. They argued that there would have been no arrest had Arnette been able to prove his prescription, and thus no drug or gun charges.
From the legal counsel for Damon Arnette comes an explanation: https://t.co/MJtiGBiMXc pic.twitter.com/wd3fi8mhqi
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 27, 2024
Arnette's counsel said that they are “working with the local law enforcement to rectify this matter before any charges are brought by the District Attorney's Office.”
Even if charges are dropped, the arrest is the latest in a saga of poor off-field decisions from Arnette, who last appeared in an NFL football game in 2021 despite being a first-round NFL draft pick in 2020.
Arnette last signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022 under a reserve/futures contract. He was released just nine days after inking the deal when he was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed weapon without a permit and two counts of possession of controlled substances on Jan. 29, 2022.
Arnette pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault charges and the drawing of a deadly weapon in August 2023. He was sentenced to 50 hours of community service, a $2,000 fine and forfeiture of his firearms. The judge, Ronald Israel, told him he could possess “no guns of any kind.”
Drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders with the 19th overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, Arnette played nine games, starting seven in 2020, though injuries limited his availability. He entered the 2021 season as a backup and saw action in four games before landing on injured reserve with a groin injury.
The Raiders released Arnette on Nov. 8, 2021 after video surfaced of their defensive back brandishing firearms and making death threats.
Arnette spent five seasons at Ohio State, collecting 104 tackles, five interceptions, 22 pass breakups and a pick-six during his career. He played a key role as a starting cornerback for the Buckeyes' No. 1-ranked defense in 2019.
