Eagles' DeVonta Smith recalls 'tough' week after learning of Henry Ruggs' fatal DUI crash

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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith said the week leading up to Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers was "tough" after learning that former Alabama teammate Henry Ruggs was involved in a fatal DUI crash in Las Vegas last week. 

Smith told reporters after the 27-24 loss that the support of his team after learning about Ruggs’ car crash that had killed one person and seriously injured another helped him to "get through it." 

HENRY RUGGS SPEEDING VIDEO FROM 2020 SURFACES AFTER FATAL DUI CRASH

"First of all, my heart breaks for everyone involved, the family of the young lady that lost her life," he said, via Bleeding Green Nation. "It was hard at the beginning, but just coming in every day, being with the guys, they kind of gathered with me, helped me out a lot. So, I mean, at the beginning of the week it was tough, but eventually, the guys helped me get through it."

Alabama wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Henry Ruggs III celebrate scoring a touchdown against Texas A&M at Kyle Field on Oct. 12, 2019, in College Station, Texas. (Logan Riely/Getty Images)

Smith said he spoke to Ruggs, who remains on house arrest.

"I talked to him. We discussed everything. He’s in good spirits, I mean, I’m just glad that he’s himself, he’s gotten himself together, and he’s not just down on himself."

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Ruggs, 22, is facing several felony charges after crashing his Chevrolet Corvette into the back of a Toyota RAV4 early Tuesday morning while allegedly driving 156 mph seconds before the crash with a blood alcohol level of nearly double the legal limit. Tina Tintor, 23, died as a result of the accident. 

"It kind of gave me a bigger purpose," Smith said of the difficulty of playing on Sunday. "Just going out there, playing for my brother, knowing he can't play right now."

DeVonta Smith of the Eagles runs the ball against Chris Harris Jr. of the Los Angeles Chargers at Lincoln Financial Field on Nov. 7, 2021, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

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Jalen Hurts, who also played with Ruggs in college, echoed Smith’s sentiment. 

Alabama wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Henry Ruggs III celebrate a touchdown against Texas A&M on Oct. 12, 2019, in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

"Obviously, I have a lot of love for DeVonta. I love him like a brother. I have a lot of love for Henry Ruggs as well. I love him like a brother," the quarterback said, via ESPN. "My 'Bama brother. It's tough for all of us to experience what we experienced this week, how tragic of a situation it was. But we're all warriors and we all see it through. DeVonta made some big-time plays today and he'll continue to do that for us."