Former NFL player Wendell Smallwood Jr. has been granted early release from prison to spend time with his eight-year-old daughter, Mila, who is in palliative care battling a rare and aggressive form of childhood kidney cancer. Gloucester County Superior Court Judge Renard Scott withdrew Smallwood's state guilty plea on August 7, citing his daughter's critical condition.
Mila was diagnosed with diffuse anaplastic Wilms tumor earlier this year. Despite undergoing chemotherapy, her treatment has reportedly been unsuccessful, and doctors indicate she may have only days or weeks to live. Smallwood's attorney, Yaron Helmer, stated, "It's about whether his daughter will hold her dad again." Smallwood could be released as early as August 17.
Smallwood, 32, has been imprisoned since 2024. He was serving an 18-month sentence for federal fraud charges related to submitting fraudulent tax returns and applications for hundreds of thousands of dollars in COVID-19 pandemic aid programs. He pleaded guilty to these charges in September 2024. Additionally, he was serving a concurrent three-year state prison sentence for an unrelated gun possession case in New Jersey.
The appeals court's decision in July that found New Jersey’s assault weapons ban unconstitutional was critical in allowing Smallwood to withdraw his plea for the gun possession charge. His early release was also reportedly influenced by his federal prison record and participation in rehabilitation programs.
Smallwood was a running back selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2016 NFL Draft. He played for the Eagles for two seasons, including their Super Bowl victory in 2018. After leaving Philadelphia, he also played for the Washington Commanders and Pittsburgh Steelers, and spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars before returning to Washington for his final NFL stint.
Smallwood and his wife, Autumn, also have two sons, Blaze and Scottie. A GoFundMe page has been established to support the family with the mounting financial burden of Mila's medical expenses.
