Ex-NFL Running Back Wendell Smallwood Released From Prison Early

Former NFL running back Wendell Smallwood Jr. has officially been granted an early release from prison. Smallwood, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for defrauding federal COVID-19 relief programs. He was also serving a three-year ...

by Chris Rosvoglou

Aug 12, 2026

Wendell Smallwood with the football.

Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

Former NFL running back Wendell Smallwood Jr. has officially been granted an early release from prison.

Smallwood, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for defrauding federal COVID-19 relief programs. He was also serving a three-year state prison sentence for an unrelated gun possession charge.

On Aug. 7, Gloucester County Superior Court withdrew Smallwood’s state guilty plea so he could spend time with his 8-year-old daughter, Mila.

News Journal reported that Smallwood's daughter has only been given days or weeks to live due to her battle with cancer.

"This is not just a matter of legal semantics," said Smallwood’s attorney, Yaron Helmer. "It’s about whether his daughter will hold her dad again."

Washington's Wendell Smallwood (34) is greeted by friends from the Philadelphia Eagles staff after the Eagles defeated the Redskins Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

Jerry Habraken, Delaware News Journal, Delaware News Journal via Imagn Content Services, LLC&period;