Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs will open the 2026 NFL regular season on the commissioner’s exempt list, the league announced Sunday. Jacobs will not be allowed to practice or play while he’s on the commissioner’s exempt list.
The league’s decision stems from Jacobs being arrested and later released from a Wisconsin jail in May after five criminal charges were brought against him: strangulation and suffocation, battery-domestic abuse, criminal damage to property-domestic abuse, disorderly conduct-domestic abuse and intimidation of a victim.
At the time of his release in May, Jacobs’ lawyers said he denied any wrongdoing regarding the reported domestic abuse. The initial charges were later reduced to two misdemeanors by the Brown County District Attorney on Thursday afternoon: misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property.
While Jacobs won’t be able to participate in team activities or play in any games while he’s on the commissioner’s exempt list, he could still face a suspension down the line. Players are typically placed on the exempt list in instances when the league is still reviewing a matter to determine further discipline.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst expressed on Wednesday afternoon that the team was “preparing” for Jacobs to be suspended, according to The Athletic.
Jacobs, 28, is in the third season of a four-year, $48 million deal with the Packers. Last season, the three-time Pro Bowler rushed for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns on 4.0 yards per carry; Jacobs also tallied 282 receiving yards.
Jacobs spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with the Las Vegas Raiders (2019-23), with whom he led the NFL with 1,653 rushing yards and was an All-Pro in 2022.
The Packers made a trade prior to the news surrounding Jacobs on Sunday. They acquired running back Kaleb Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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