Mike Macdonald explains Seattle Seahawks’ decision to add Terrion Arnold

RENTON, Wash. - Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said they leaned on their many connections to cornerback Terrion Arnold when making a decision to sign the former first-round pick amid numerous outstanding felony charges in Florida.

"I think it was an opportunity to bring on a player that we felt strongly about during the draft process, and we also understand that it's a serious situation with a legal matter. There's a process behind it, so we respect that," Macdonald said on Friday.

The former first-round pick and Detroit Lions cornerback is facing charges for felony kidnapping and armed robbery stemming from a February incident in Tampa. He had a workout with the Seahawks on Sunday and also visited the New Orleans Saints and New York Giants before making a decision to sign with Seattle.

Arnold has yet to officially sign with the Seahawks. He was not with the team for their practice on Friday ahead of their first preseason game with the Dallas Cowboys at 5 p.m. on Saturday at Lumen Field. Macdonald said they're still working to get a timeline in place for Arnold to join the team.

What they're saying:

Macdonald didn't comment directly on the numerous charges Arnold is facing, saying it would be inappropriate for them to do so.

"Well, for us to comment on that right now is not our place," Macdonald said. "I mean, nor should we. So again, it's a serious situation. We understand that, but to make any further comment is not the time or place right now.

"If you start to give your opinion on it, then now we're kind of getting in a spot where we really shouldn't be answering those questions. But just trying to be as clear as possible that we felt like we've done our due diligence, and this is something that we, in terms of the legal situation, we just can't make a comment on."

Arnold had an arraignment scheduled for Thursday. According to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times, his next scheduled court date is a status update on October 5, which will be in-person in Tampa.

So why sign a player in the middle of such off-field matters?

"We feel really strongly about our locker room and our team, and we had a great visit with Terrion," Macdonald said. "Obviously, we knew him going throughout the(draft) process, and I referenced the folks that had been in this corner throughout the whole process as well. And you know, we respect those people. We're not going to ignore those folks that we really respect and have a strong opinion about it as well.

"Put all those things together, it felt like it was a good opportunity for the team."

The Seahawks have multiple connections to Arnold from his time at the University of Alabama. Seahawks defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Karl Scott was a cornerback coach at Alabama from 2018-20 and helped recruit Arnold to Tuscaloosa.

He also played alongside cornerback Josh Jobe and quarterback Jalen Milroe, who is very close friends with Arnold.

"It's overwhelmingly positive," Macdonald. It really is, and again, it's a serious situation that like there's allegations there that are serious. But if you separate that from the person that they talk about on a daily basis and the history with them, it's been really overwhelming positive."

Milroe spoke glowingly of Arnold, who he called his best friend.

"I'll say number one, he's gonna give us everything he got," Milroe said of Arnold before the agreement on Thursday. "You know, of course, being with him at Alabama, the amount of passion that he plays with, how smart he is, how detail-oriented he is. I think something that's unique about him is that he can do everything, whether it's being a man corner, whether it's traveling and playing man, whether it's playing a zone, press-and-bail. Like, he's diverse, you know, when it comes to you know what he can do at the cornerback position. This is someone that played basketball. He's very athletic, can jump, can move, can bend. 

"Of course, that's my best friend, like I can hype him up a lot, but man, I really hope he can come here. He could definitely be a difference-maker for us. But no, he's very versatile, and I'll be excited if he's here."

What's next:

Even with the intention of signing Arnold, whether he ever plays for Seattle is questionable. The NFL place him on the Commissioner's Exempt List while he's going through the legal process, which would make him ineligible to play. It's been a catch-all for the NFL to use when players are dealing with criminal matters and the league also needs to investigate to determine if a player has violated their personal conduct policy.

Michael Vick, Greg Hardy, former Seahawks' kicker Josh Brown, Reuben Foster and Kareem Hunt are among the names of players that have been placed on the exempt list before. Many of those instances, including Brown, related to domestic violence incidents. Brown wasn't with the Seahawks when his issues arose.

"I do not have like the specifics on the dates and things like that. All I know is that there's an availability, if the league lets him happen, then he can play," Macdonald said. "So in terms of when that happens and how that goes down, it's just kind of to me. It's like it's part of that process."

So what type of player are the Seahawks getting if he should be able to play at some point?

"As a football player, of course, that's why we're we're trying to bring him on," Macdonald said. "It's a really great opportunity that we think his skill set fits in our secondary. Plays with a lot of energy, physicality. You know, some of the pattern match stuff that we do is more up his alley than he did at Alabama. And then just personality-wise, I think there's an opportunity there, if he's the best version of himself, that he could be a fit for us. 

"So, you know, we'll see. When he gets in the building, we'll go about our business like we normally do, and go try to be the best version of us that we can possibly be, and that includes him. That's the message to our team on on the daily is we want our players to come in and be the best version of themselves, and we believe that if you do that, then the team's going to be better for it as well. So Terrion will be the same process with him if and when he gets here."

The backstory:

Arnold was released by the Lions in June after he was officially charged in a plot to detain, rob and beat three people whom he believed had stolen goods and cash from him, according to the Florida State Attorney's Office.

Arnold is officially facing charges of kidnapping, armed robbery, and conspiracy, which carry a sentence of up to life in prison, if convicted.

Three teenagers were reportedly held at gunpoint, battered, and pistol-whipped by a number of assailants in a Tampa apartment on February 4. The altercation came three days after high-end items and cash were reported stolen from an Airbnb rental in Largo.

Six total people were charged alongside Arnold: Boakai Hilton, Lyndell Hudson, Freddie Lee Hughes III, Christion Williams, Arianna Del Valle and Jasmine Randazzo. Del Valle and Randazz pleaded guilty to their roles in the attack on June 24 and agreed to cooperate with authorities. Randazzo was sentenced to four years with six years of probation, and Del Valle is awaiting sentencing at a later date.

Arnold is accused of coordinating the incident, believing the victims had stolen more than $200,000 worth of his personal items. The Attorney's Office said there is no evidence to support the victims' involvement in the theft.

"No one has the right to take the law into their own hands. A dispute over missing property does not justify kidnapping, violence, or retaliation. This arrest is the result of months of investigative work and collaboration between the Tampa Police Department and our prosecutors. We will continue to pursue justice for the three victims by holding everyone accountable for their roles in this crime," State Attorney Suzy Lopez said in June.

Additional investigation into cell phone evidence and testimony provided by co-defendants supported the charges against Arnold.

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