The Seahawks are standing by cornerback Terion Arnold, even as he faces felony charges.
Seattle’s head coach, Mike McDonald, shared that the feedback received during Arnold’s vetting process this offseason was “overwhelmingly positive.”
“We have a strong belief in our locker room and our team, and our meeting with the Terrions was excellent,” McDonald informed reporters. “Of course, we’ve followed him during the 2024 pre-draft process, and we acknowledge those who supported him throughout,” he noted.
“We’re not going to dismiss the views of people we genuinely respect,” McDonald continued. “Considering everything, we believe this is a beneficial opportunity for our team.”
News broke on Thursday that Arnold intends to sign a one-year minimum salary contract with the Seahawks.
This contract comes after Arnold held discussions with several NFL teams, including the Giants and Jets.
McDonald also mentioned that it’s still uncertain whether Arnold will be eligible to play, as the NFL might put him on the commissioner’s exempt list while looking into the situation.
Arnold is facing eight felony charges related to an incident that took place in February in Tampa, Florida, involving robbery and kidnapping allegations. He reportedly assaulted three men, wrongly claiming they had stolen over $250,000 from him.
Tampa police reported that the men who Arnold confronted “had visible injuries from being punched, held at gunpoint, and pistol-whipped, during which their belongings were taken and they were forced to leave.”
Arnold turned himself into the police on June 24 and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
McDonald stated that the Seahawks undertook a “thorough examination” of Arnold’s legal issues but refrained from giving further details.
“It’s not our place to comment further at this moment,” McDonald said. “This situation is serious, and we recognize its gravity. However, now isn’t the right time for additional comments.”
Since being drafted by the Lions at the 24th spot in the 2024 NFL Draft, Arnold has recorded one interception and defended 18 passes over 24 games across two seasons.
