During the 2024 NFL Draft, when the Detroit Lions saw Terrion Arnold slipping down the board, they pounced by trading up for the former Alabama cornerback. In trading an extra third-round pick just to move up five slots, it was clear that the Lions identified Arnold as one of their top targets in the draft.
While his All-American collegiate career speaks for itself, Lions fans recently learned another reason why Detroit’s front office just had to add Arnold to the roster.
No, Arnold didn’t go full Dan Campbell and evoke shades of biting kneecaps, but he did show what sets him apart from other athletes. For Arnold, it’s his competitiveness.
“I’ll never forget one time my mom kicked my tooth out because we was just going at it so hard so if my mom was out here right now and she lined up across me as a receiver, I would jam her into the dirt. That’s my mindset and my mom knows that right now. I just mean it in the simple aspect of like football-wise, that’s just the way that I think and the way that I was brought up.”
New Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold on how he approaches football
Terrion Arnold on wrestling with his mom as a kid: "One time my mom kicked my tooth out because we were just going at it so hard. If my mom was out here right now and she lined up across from me as a receiver, I'd jam her into the dirt." pic.twitter.com/uAladXDpds
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) May 10, 2024
That quote surely brings a smile to Arnold’s mom’s face, but we bet it’s music to Coach Campbell’s ears too. Clearly, Arnold’s not afraid to mix it up, and he won’t back down from any challenge, no matter who his opponent is.
We’ll see if he keeps that same energy when it’s time to hit the field later this fall when the games begin. But for now, Arnold is off to a great start in Detroit.
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