Former NFL player Wendell Smallwood Jr. has been in the headlines after his early release was approved by a judge on August 7, 2026. Reports began surfacing on August 12, 2026 (ET) that he was being released early due to the health of his 8-year-old daughter. Amid the buzz, let’s take a look at what happened.
Former NFL running back Wendell Smallwood Jr. gets early release from prison
A former NFL player, Wendell Smallwood Jr., who has been incarcerated since 2024, will reportedly be released early so he can spend some time with his dying daughter. For the unversed, Smallwood’s 8-year-old daughter was battling cancer, which has now become terminal. Given the recent development, a judge withdrew Smallwood’s guilty plea for possession of a gun, allowing him to be with his daughter as she spends her last days in palliative care.
According to News Journal, Wendell Smallwood Jr.’s legal team had appealed to the court in July 2026. The appeal cited the court’s decision and pointed out that the law found New Jersey’s assault weapons ban unconstitutional, which allowed Smallwood to withdraw his plea. Apart from that, it was also noted that the former NFL player’s early release was influenced by his federal prison record and participation in rehabilitation programs.
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