NFL YouTuber berates Damon Arnette for similarities with Grizzlies superstar - "He was Ja Morant before Ja Morant”
The life of a high-profile athlete isn't as glamorous as it seems and for former Las Vegas Raiders defensive back Damon Arnette and Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant, it is playing out before our eyes.
We know that Morant has had his troubles over the last few months with videos of him reportedly holding a firearm surfacing. Arnette, on the other hand, has been in constant trouble off the field since he was drafted back in 2020 in the first round.
While Arnette was cut by the Raiders after his indiscretions, Morant is still on the Grizzlies roster. But NFL YouTuber and Raiders fan Mikerophone thinks it's because Morant is important to Memphis, whereas Arnette wasn't so for the Raiders.
Mikerophone said:
“He was Ja Morant before Ja Morant, but he wasn't as important to the team as Ja Morant, so the Raiders cut him loose.”
Mikerophone pointed out that Arnette posted an Instagram video of himself waving a firearm around before all the Ja Morant videos came out over the last few months.
So, Mikerophone is right in saying that Arnette was Morant before Morant in terms of the off-field issues he had.
Damon Arnette a case of what could have been
When an NFL team selects a player in the first round of the draft, the entire organization has high hopes that the player will be around for a decade or so.
For the most part, this is true as the player puts up decent production year after year. But in Damon Arnette's case, he is a true cautionary tale of what can happen when the off-field incidents outweigh your production on the field.
Since being drafted in 2020, Arnette has played just 13 games for the Raiders, has no interceptions and a tackle for loss.
That isn't exactly great production and then when we add on his incidents, which includes a report where he flashed a gun at a car valet, it became too much for Las Vegas. He was released back in 2021.
After stints with the Dolphins' practice squad and then being signed by the Chiefs to a futures/reserves contract, his latest incident saw him released again.
It is a true case of what could have been for Damon Arnette, as he once held a position that millions would dream of, only to have to go by the wayside.