The Detroit Lions released NFL player Terrion Arnold four days after the cornerback was charged with kidnapping and beating three people. Arnold was wrongly suspected of stealing $100,000 in luxury goods and cash from him.
The Lions announced the news to X on Monday after a Florida judge set the 23-year-old’s bail at $1 million (£750,000).
Prosecutors said that on February 4, three men in their late teens were beaten and robbed at gunpoint at an apartment in Tampa, Florida. One of the victims was a driver who worked for Arnold, and at least seven people were charged.
The incident comes three days after Arnold stole $250,000 (about £189,400) worth of luxury goods, including watches, cash and designer bags, from himself and others from a property in Largo, 20 miles west of Tampa.
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (Associated Press)
However, the investigation revealed that the victims were not involved in the robbery.
The victims said the cornerback’s friends tricked them into their home and beat them at gunpoint. They added that the kidnapping was streamed to Arnold.
On Wednesday, Arnold surrendered to police and appeared briefly in court, where a judge read eight felony charges against him.
Supreme Court Judge Christopher Sabella granted him bail and said he would not be required to wear an ankle monitor as it could interfere with his tackling ability during games and training.
His representative, Denise White, CEO of EAG Sports Management, said the judge’s ruling “confirms that there is little evidence to suggest Mr. Arnold’s criminal involvement.”
None of Arnold’s co-defendants were granted bail. Both men have pleaded guilty and are cooperating with authorities. Prosecutors said their statements linked Arnold, who was not in the apartment, to the crime.
A Florida judge set Arnold’s bail at $1 million (£750,000) on Monday.
Prosecutors also argue that Arnold is just as responsible for the crime as his co-defendants because he told his associates that he thought he knew who was stealing from him and that he wanted to confront them.
“Our office remains committed to seeking justice for the three victims in this case who were beaten, robbed and held against their will,” said Erin Maloney, a spokeswoman for the State Attorney’s Office.
The football player’s attorney, Harvey Steinberg, told the court Monday that prosecutors are “still no closer” to proving that Arnold knew or directed his co-defendants.
Arnold was drafted by the Lions in the first round, 24th overall, in the 2024 NFL Draft after playing college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
In two seasons in the NFL, Arnold appeared in 24 games (22 starts) for the Lions and recorded 91 tackles while defending 18 passes.
