<\/p>\n
FILE – Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold reacts to a play against the Green Bay Packers during an NFL football game in Detroit, Nov. 27, 2025.<\/p>\n
Paul Sancya\/AP Photo\/Paul Sancya<\/p>\n
Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper, left, takes part in drill with defensive assistant Michael Wilhoite during practice at the team’s NFL football training camp Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Centennial, Colo.<\/p>\n
David Zalubowski\/AP Photo\/David Zalubowski<\/p>\n
Green Bay Packers’ Josh Jacobs talks to Marshawn Lloyd before a preseason NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis.<\/p>\n
Abbie Parr\/AP Photo\/Abbie Parr<\/p>\n
FILE – Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) plays during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Detroit.<\/p>\n
Carlos Osorio\/AP Photo\/Carlos Osorio<\/p>\n
As the NFL prepares to celebrate defending Super Bowl champion Seattle and then make a much-anticipated debut in Melbourne, Australia, the league won\u2019t be able to avoid some unsavory story lines.<\/p>\n
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The NFL placed three players, including one who otherwise might be starring in that marquee opener, on the commissioner\u2019s exempt list to begin the season.<\/p>\n
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Seahawks cornerback Terrion Arnold, Denver linebacker Jonathon Cooper and Green Bay running back Josh Jacobs are navigating serious legal situations that could keep them off the field for weeks, months or maybe the rest of the year.<\/p>\n
What is the exempt list?<\/p>\n
The commissioner\u2019s exempt list is an NFL roster designation reserved for unique circumstances, typically involving legal or personal issues that require investigation. Only the NFL commissioner has the authority to place a player on this list. The commissioner also decides when a player can return to the active roster, usually after the resolution of legal proceedings or league investigations.<\/p>\n
Players on the list cannot participate in games or practices but may attend meetings, workouts and receive treatment at the team facility. Players continue to receive their full salary while on the list, as it is considered administrative leave rather than a suspension.<\/p>\n
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Arnold is charged with kidnapping and robbery<\/p>\n
Detroit released Arnold in late June, nearly a week after he was arrested in Florida and charged with kidnapping and robbery. Prosecutors allege Arnold orchestrated the abduction and beating of three men he suspected of stealing more than $250,000 in cash and luxury goods from him in early February. Police called Arnold the \u201cprimary conspirator,\u201d and a judge set bail at $1 million.<\/p>\n
Defense attorney R. Timothy Jansen said Arnold denies the allegations, and his sports management agency said there\u2019s \u201cno credible evidence\u201d against Arnold and suggested others pinned the attack on him in exchange for lighter sentences.<\/p>\n
Despite the accusations, Seattle agreed to terms with Arnold weeks ago. He officially signed Saturday, one day before landing on the exempt list.<\/p>\n
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Seahawks general manager John Schneider called the decision a \u201clong-term play\u201d and noted that Arnold’s \u201ccharacter just didn\u2019t really fit with the allegations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arnold has played in 25 games since the Lions drafted him 24th overall in 2024 out of Alabama.<\/p>\n
Cooper is charged with strangling a girlfriend<\/p>\n
Cooper pleaded not guilty Monday to a felony charge of second-degree assault by strangulation and three misdemeanor charges stemming from altercations with his then-girlfriend in June. A jury trial is set to begin on Nov. 10.<\/p>\n
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Cooper participated in training camp and was a team captain in Denver’s preseason finale.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe continue to take this very seriously,\u201d Broncos general manager George Paton said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to continue to monitor all the legal developments and continue to support Jonathon. Jonathon\u2019s worked very hard to better himself, and it\u2019ll be good to have him in the building, be in meetings and just be a part of the team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cooper has started 52 consecutive games for the Broncos and is a key member of a defense that has led the league in sacks each of the past two seasons. He is due to make $12 million this season.<\/p>\n
Jacobs is charged with misdemeanor domestic battery<\/p>\n
Jacobs was arrested in late May after his girlfriend told police he tossed her to the ground following an argument.<\/p>\n
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The woman said she had been looking through Jacobs\u2019 phone and saw he was talking to other women, according to police. The woman said she tried to retrieve her own phone from Jacobs, but he grabbed her arm and began a struggle that lasted several minutes. They left the home in separate vehicles before eventually returning.<\/p>\n
The woman was trying to exit a garage door when Jacobs grabbed her and threw her to the ground, police said. According to a criminal complaint, security camera footage backed up the woman\u2019s statement.<\/p>\n
Jacobs\u2019 lawyers issued a statement that said, \u201cThe allegations will be addressed in court, and not in the media. Mr. Jacobs respects the District Attorney\u2019s office and the process it followed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jacobs rushed for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. He has 7,803 yards rushing and 74 touchdowns in a seven-year career that included five with the Raiders.<\/p>\n
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The Packers are optimistic the three-time Pro Bowler will play this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were many conversations obviously and certainly don\u2019t know all the details, but what he tells me, I believe him and I trust him,\u201d Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. \u201cI\u2019m going to do that until proven otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n
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See AP\u2019s full NFL coverage here<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"FILE – Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold reacts to a play against the Green Bay Packers during an…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":986887,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2071],"tags":[146,113,2506,7,1272,41,2861,3901,4129,147,3031,6,130276,27878,27876,122421,122564,95285,96633,1748],"class_list":["post-992324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-detroit-lions","tag-detroit","tag-detroit-lions","tag-detroitlions","tag-football","tag-george-paton","tag-green-bay","tag-john-schneider","tag-jonathon-cooper","tag-josh-jacobs","tag-lions","tag-matt-lafleur","tag-nfl","tag-nfl-commissioners-exempt-list","tag-package-100502-member-choice-sports-option","tag-product-30599-ap-sports-news-s-wire-only","tag-product-40777-ap-colorado-sports-only","tag-product-40792-ap-michigan-sports-only","tag-product-40820-ap-washington-state-sports-only","tag-product-40822-ap-wisconsin-sports-only","tag-terrion-arnold"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/992324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=992324"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/992324\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/986887"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=992324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=992324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=992324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}