Former Alabama DB Terrion Arnold reveals message from All-Pro WR after first NFL start

Former Alabama defensive back Terrion Arnold made his NFL debut for the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1.

Arnold was drafted No. 24 in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft to help the Lions fix issues in the secondary. That meant he gets matched up against opposing teams best wide receivers, with Rams All-Pro wide receiver Cooper Kupp being the first guy he matched up with.

The Lions won a thrilling 26-20 overtime game, and Kupp did end up with 14 catches for 110 yards and 1 touchdown.

Arnold shared with reporters the message that Kupp gave him after the game.

“Competing against Cooper Kupp is fun,” Arnold said. “After the game, he told me ‘I was one of the ones’, and I told him he has been ‘one of the ones’. I slammed him on the ground and I said some crazy words, and he got up and said ‘come on man’. Just to know he is one of those guys, it makes it fun in the sport of the football. He plays the game enthusiastic, and I was blessed to have the task to go out and guard him.”

Lions rookie Terrion Arnold said Cooper Kupp paid him a compliment after the game.

"A salute to him, him saluting me, telling me I was 'one of them ones,'" the young cornerback said. "I was like, 'Coop, man, you've been one of them ones.'" pic.twitter.com/7C0TnP3VFF

— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) September 9, 2024

Arnold finished with 8 tackles in his first career NFL game, and helped the Lions get the win.

Mark Kern