SEAHAWKS GM SAYS TEAM WOULD HAVE CUT ARNOLD OVER CHARGES

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider stated that his team would have released cornerback Terrion Arnold had he been on their roster when the Detroit Lions cut him following his arrest on eight felony charges. Schneider made the comments during an episode of Hard Knocks, the NFL documentary series, in a sideline conversation with special-teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh at practice. Schneider described the allegations against Arnold as "shocking" and referenced reporting about the case, saying "it's not good". The Seahawks had agreed terms with Arnold as a free agent but had not yet officially added him to the team at the time of filming.

Harbaugh suggested that the dynamics of roster decisions differ between the team that originally signed a player and a team considering a second chance. Schneider acknowledged this distinction, noting that circumstances change depending on whether a team is the original employer or acting as a potential second opportunity. The episode also showed Seahawks personnel conducting due diligence on Arnold, including Schneider speaking to former Alabama coach Nick Saban. Schneider and Arnold's agent Nicole Lynn tentatively agreed during the episode that Arnold would accept an offer from Seattle.

The Lions cut Arnold seven weeks before the Hard Knocks episode aired. The documentary did not address whether incoming Seahawks ownership was consulted regarding the signing. Arnold's status with the Seahawks following the filming of the episode remains unclear from the available information.