Jon Gruden: Henry Ruggs played through pain, like the great ones do

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Raiders rookie receiver Henry Ruggs III impressed coach Jon Gruden by playing through pain in his NFL debut.

Ruggs hurt his knee in the game but toughed it out and finished with three catches for 55 yards in Sunday’s win over the Panthers. Gruden appreciated that.

“I like the fact that he came back and played through something,” Gruden said, via the Mercury-News. “That’s what the great ones do. They play through pain, they play through difficult situations. He did that.”

Ruggs showed off his deep speed with a 45-yard catch, and the Raiders also had Ruggs run the ball twice, once for four yards and once for seven yards. The Raiders want to keep getting the ball in Ruggs’ hands, and they want to see Ruggs keep showing that toughness.