Why former Lions CB Terrion Arnold was placed on NFL's commissioner’s exempt list after signing with Seahawks

The defending Super Bowl champions made a high-profile move official on Saturday.

Weeks after reportedly agreeing to a deal with cornerback Terrion Arnold — the former Lions player who was released from Detroit following kidnapping and armed robbery charges — the Seahawks put pen to paper with him. But Arnold won't be joining the team on the field, at least for the time being.

He will be placed on the NFL commissioner's exempt list after his Seattle contract becomes official, per Adam Schefter.

Here's what to know about the commissioner's exempt list and what to know about Arnold's situation with the Seahawks.

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Why Terrion Arnold was placed on commissioner's exempt list

On Aug. 14, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said the team had an agreement with Arnold, who was a free agent after being released by the Lions. But it wasn't until Saturday that the transaction became official.

Seattle signed Arnold with the knowledge that his NFL future may be up in the air following his arrest in June and charges for kidnapping and armed robbery. And on Saturday, immediately after news of his contract becoming official, Schefter reported that Arnold will be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list.

New Seahawks CB Terrion Arnold will be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list once the league receives his contract, per the NFL. pic.twitter.com/Nq80oVd0Io

Arnold was put on the commissioner's exempt list due to being under investigation by the NFL for potential punishment under the personal conduct policy, in connection with his June arrest and charges. While on the commissioner's exempt list, Arnold will be unable to practice or play with the Seahawks.

The cornerback will be paid his contract and is allowed to attend team meetings while on the list, per The Athletic.

It remains unclear whether Arnold will ever have a chance to play for the Seahawks, but his NFL situation will likely depend on his legal situation. Arnold is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 5.

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What is the NFL's commissioner exempt list?

The commissioner's exempt list is a paid leave status that allows the NFL to remove a player from games/practices while investigating off-the-field issues, including legal situations.

Players on the commissioner's exempt list do not count toward the 53-man roster limit, and while they do receive their full salary, they are unable to play or practice. Players on the list are permitted to be at the team facility, attend meetings, etc.

Players included on the exempt list in recent years include Michael Vick (2009), Adrian Peterson (2014), Greg Hardy (2014), Kareem Hunt (2018) and CeeDee Lamb (2024).

Being placed on the commissioner's exempt list is not a form of discipline by the NFL, per se, but rather a temporary decision made to give the league proper time to decide if discipline is necessary.

What did Terrion Arnold do?

Arnold is facing four counts of kidnapping and four counts of armed robbery. All eight charges are felonies, and they all carry maximum sentences of life in prison.

Arnold was arrested on June 25 in connection with a February incident that saw three people allegedly held hostage, robbed and pistol-whipped after being lured in by multiple people, including Arnold, per a Hillsborough County police report. Arnold is accused of being the "primary conspiracy" in a plot to lure people he and his friend believed were responsible for the theft of around $250,000 in cash and other valuables.

Arnold and five others are alleged to have held the people they believed committed the heist hostage at gunpoint, robbing them before assaulting them with a pistol whip. Police determined that the people Arnold and his co-conspirators reportedly kidnapped and assaulted had nothing to do with the theft of Arnold's Airbnb, per multiple reports.

In a statement to TMZ, Arnold's lawyer denied any wrongdoing. The Detroit News reported that Arnold filed a police report after a Largo, Florida residence he rented was reportedly robbed twice. Among the items taken from Arnold and his friends were $100,000 in cash, an $80,000 necklace, designer bags and a cell phone issued to Arnold by the NFL, per NBC News.

Arnold previously denied any involvement in the case. He turned himself in on June 24. Five days later, Detroit released him, and he later signed with the Seahawks as a free agent.