Houston Texans' New DB Shares First Thoughts on Returning to NFL

The Houston Texans made an interesting addition to their secondary on Wednesday with the signing of former first-round pick Damon Arnette, who last played in the NFL for the Las Vegas Raiders three years ago, and now eyes a chance at a comeback to the league after his most recent stint with the XFL.

Arnette, who's now 28, just got off a season with the Houston Roughnecks in the XFL, but now eyes his next chance to gain a bit of traction with the Texans ahead of the 2025 NFL season.

Sep 19, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Damon Arnette (20) warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

And when asking Arnette himself about his jump back to the league, he feels like he's made the right strides both on and off the field to earn his way back to that opportunity in the NFL, while also having the ideal support system to surround him.

"I’m 28 years old right now with three kids, with a mom and dad that loves me and has my back right now,” Arnette said in an interview with KPRC2's Aaron Wilson. “With coaches, I feel like I’ve proved a complete turnaround. All the coaches that have been with me right now, I feel like their words would be more valuable because I’ve said a lot of things in the past. What I would say is what they see on film, that’s me being out of commission for three years."

“I’m a dawg on the field. I’m more of a professional now than I ever was before. I wasn’t a professional before. I was just a dawg. I found professionalism and a calm state of mind. I feel like I’m the best version of myself that I’ve ever been.”

Arnette played a combined 13 games with the Raiders before ultimately being cut mid-way through 2021, when he was facing a lawsuit for an alleged hit-and-run and video surfacing of him making death threats while waving firearms.

Sep 21, 2020; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Damon Arnette (20) and cornerback Keisean Nixon (22) celebrate after defeating the New Orleans Saints in a NFL game at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Now, he's got another chance in the NFL after a few years leave, joining aboard the Texans' secondary following the recent retirement of veteran cornerback Ronald Darby.

Arnette will likely be one of many on the Texans' training camp trying to find their way to a 53-man roster spot ahead of Week One.

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