Cornerback Terrion Arnold will be placed on the NFL commissioner's exempt list if he signs with the Seattle Seahawks while facing kidnapping charges in Florida.
The league move, reported by NFL Network on Tuesday afternoon, means the 23-year-old player will be ineligible to practice or play with any team while listed. Arnold is facing a potential life sentence in Florida after being charged with a slew of eight felonies, including alleged kidnapping and armed robbery.
Despite facing serious legal charges, the former University of Alabama product had tried out with several teams across the league. Reports indicate he is expected to sign with the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks.
Arnold was released by the Detroit Lions on the same day a judge set his bail at 1 million dollars and allowed him to practice and play for a team while awaiting trial.
Bail conditions and legal restrictions
Arnold cleared waivers after posting a 1 million dollar bond last month. He has been ordered to stay at his residence in Tallahassee, Florida, except when training, playing, or traveling with an NFL team. He has also surrendered his passport.
State prosecutors previously requested that Arnold be fitted with an ankle monitor. However, his attorneys argued he would be unable to play football with the device, and the judge agreed.
The commissioner's exempt list is a special administrative classification used by the National Football League to keep players off active rosters during legal or disciplinary matters, leaving them unable to practice or play until cleared by the league.
Kidnapping allegations and Florida police investigation
State attorneys in Florida accuse the rising cornerback of coordinating and directing other co-defendants to lure three men to an apartment. The victims, described by prosecutors as three adult males in their late teens, were allegedly robbed, beaten, and held at gunpoint.
The victims were left with visible injuries after being pistol-whipped, according to state attorneys. The co-defendants are also accused of stealing the victims' personal property.
Prosecutors claim Arnold orchestrated the plan in retaliation. In February, Arnold told police he was allegedly robbed of 250,000 dollars worth of personal items during a stay at an Airbnb property in Largo, Florida. The 2024 first-round draft pick claimed he lost 100,000 dollars in cash, an 80,000 dollar necklace, and a mobile phone issued to him by the Lions.
Arnold is specifically accused of orchestrating the kidnapping and robbery just hours after reporting the missing items to the Largo Police Department. However, prosecutors state there is no evidence proving his alleged victims were the individuals who robbed him in February.
Defense statement and player career record
Arnold has denied the allegations through his agent, Denise White of EAG Sports Management, who said her client maintains his innocence and categorically denies any involvement.
"There is no credible evidence linking Mr. Arnold to these allegations," read White's statement. "Instead, the government appears to be relying on testimony from multiple convicted felons who have admitted their own involvement and may have substantial incentives to shift blame in an effort to lessen their sentences."
"Mr. Arnold looks forward to his day in court and is confident that the judicial process will lead to his ultimate vindication," White added.
The Lions selected Arnold in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit. He has now become the first player selected in the first round from that year's draft to be released by his team. Arnold played in 24 games, with 22 starts, over two years with the Lions, recording 18 defended passes and one interception, which came against the Minnesota Vikings in November 2025.
