Terrion Arnold's Seahawks career would begin on exempt list, report says

Bob Condotta, The Seattle Times on Aug 18, 2026

Published in Football

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SEATTLE — Terrion Arnold will not be eligible to practice or play in games while his legal process plays out, according to a report Tuesday from the NFL Network.

The report stated that Arnold would be placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List when he signs a contract, meaning he cannot practice or play but can attend meetings and can be paid.

And for now, that means it’s unclear when he will sign with the Seattle Seahawks.

Players who are facing what the league describes as “unusual circumstances” can be placed on the list while the NFL investigates the situation while not counting against that team’s roster.

The report stated the Seahawks still plan to sign Arnold but are working through the timing “and it will take a while.”

A spokesman for the NFL said the league did not have a comment on Tuesday’s report but said that “the matter remains under review.”

Arnold, who faces eight felony charges relating to a February incident in Tampa, Fla., that could result in life in prison if convicted, reached agreement on terms of a one-year contract with the Seahawks last Thursday.

He has yet to sign and it is unclear when he will.

Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said after Monday’s practice that there was no update on Arnold’s situation.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider indicated that the timing of a potential Arnold signing was uncertain during comments he made on the team’s pregame radio show Saturday.

“He’s got a lot of things legally he’s got to work through,” Schneider said. “And from a timing standpoint, we’re still working through some things, as well.”

Macdonald indicated similarly on Friday, saying

Harvey Steinberg, an attorney for the 23-year-old Arnold, has argued in court that prosecutors were “not even close” to showing that Arnold knew or directed what his associates would do.

Seahawks head coach Mike McDonald told reporters on Aug. 14 that the timeline for Arnold to officially sign was “being worked out.”

“We’re working through that on when’s the best time for him to come in, but we have an agreement with him, and we’ll see,” Macdonald said. “… I really don’t know how we’re going to do it.”

While the Seahawks had initially expressed hope — via a comment on “Hard Knocks” — that Arnold would be able to play in the preseason, that became unclear over the weekend and he is not expected to sign until at least the team returns from its trip to Nashville this week.

Now, it’s unclear when it will happen.

Arnold’s next date in court is a scheduled status hearing in Tampa on Oct. 5.

Arnold, the 24th overall pick of the 2024 draft by the Detroit Lions, was waived following the charges being levied in June. He went unclaimed and became a free agent. He visited with the Seahawks, Giants and Saints last week and had an earlier visit with Houston before reaching agreement with the Seahawks.

The NFL Network reported that teams “were aware” he was likely to land on the exempt list and that it had been confirmed that “now, he’ll land there when he signs.”

Arnold was charged after what was a roughly four-month investigation.

According to the Florida state attorney’s office, Arnold “is accused of coordinating and directing (six) codefendants to lure three men to an apartment where the victims were robbed, beaten and held at gunpoint. Arnold believed the victims in the case had stolen more than $200,000 worth of his personal items during a stay at an AirBNB property (in February), although there is no evidence the victims were involved in the theft. The investigation further revealed that Arnold orchestrated the kidnapping and robbery just hours after reporting the missing items to the Largo Police Department.’’

Arnold posted $1 million bond after his arrest and is subject to home confinement other than work and legal appointments. A judge ruled in July he did not have to wear a GPS tracker after his lawyers argued that would prohibit him from being able to sign with an NFL team. At that time, Christopher C. Sabella, the chief judge of the Florida 13th Circuit Court ruled that he would be allowed to travel for court appearances, meetings with his attorney and work-related purposes before the trial, according to The Athletic.