Former Alabama Crimson Tide cornerback Terrion Arnold was dealt the ultimate blow when the Detroit Lions released him this week amid his legal troubles. Arnold had been arrested last week on felony charges of armed robbery and kidnapping before being released after posting a $1 million bond on Tuesday.
Cam Newton Sympathizes With Terrion Arnold’s Situation
During a segment of the “4th and 1” podcast, former NFL MVP Cam Newton revealed his personal attachment to Arnold and sympathized with the cornerback’s situation.
“Man look, and I know Terrion,” Newton said. “I know his family, played with C1N, the COVID year. I know him too well. What the world seen in Terrion Arnold in the last two to three weeks, is not an accurate depiction of who that young man is. This is what I know to be true. Take my word as the gospel… The kid has a smile that will light up the place, and he has an infectious personality.”
“He went to Alabama. Obviously, having a letter of recommendation to the judge, from Nick Saban. This does not match who he is,” Newton continued. “But what I will do in this particular situation is use Terrion Arnold’s situation to not only speak to Terrion, but also to speak to athletes and people of influence around the world.”
“You don’t think you’re a big deal, brother. You don’t think you’re a big deal, sister, until something happens that will remind you that you can be on top of the world one day, next day the world could be on top of you,” Newton added. “Terrion knows better, and at the end of the day, was he wrong? He was only wrong because he got caught and when you unpack what happened and the amount of money or the things that was stolen, it will leave anybody outraged.”
Newton concluded by saying, “You can’t operate as if you’re normal when you’re not normal. Doing normal activity as an abnormal individual is not something that is good for business, whether you get caught or not.”
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator
The former Lions cornerback was arrested on June 24 after being accused of kidnapping and assaulting three men whom he believed had been involved in robbing him of goods worth up to $250,000 in Largo, Florida, in February.
Chief Judge Christopher C. Sabella allowed Arnold to play in the NFL as his case unfolds, denying the prosecution’s plea to keep the cornerback in jail until his trial. He will undergo a pre-trial hearing on July 6 after the state filed a motion for him to wear an ankle monitor.
PREDICT THE NFL SEASON: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
NFL teams had until Thursday, July 2, to claim Arnold off of waivers, and the cornerback could also be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list during his trial. Arnold’s lawyer, Harvey Steinberg, has already revealed that three NFL teams have contacted his client.
In 24 games played for the Lions across two seasons after being selected No. 24 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, Arnold managed 91 tackles, 18 passes defended, and one interception.
He endured an injury-hit 2025 season after suffering a concussion and a shoulder injury, which ended his season prematurely. He earned a PFN Cornerback Impact score of 72.4, ranking him No. 77 in the league.
