NFL Just Dropped The Hammer On Josh Jacobs’ 2026 Season
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Josh Jacobs practiced through most of training camp while his legal case hung over Green Bay’s offense. But there’s no longer any confusion over where his immediate future lies.
Formal charges landed last week, stemming from Jacobs’ arrest back in May. Brown County prosecutors charged him with misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property, both tied to an incident involving a woman at his residence.
Sunday brought a new development from the league office itself.
NFL Sidelines Jacobs Without Setting A Timeline
The NFL has placed Jacobs on the commissioner’s exempt list, according to ESPN‘s Adam Schefter. That status means Jacobs can’t practice or play for Green Bay while the legal and disciplinary process continues, though he’ll still receive his salary during that stretch.
“Last week Jacobs was charged with battery and criminal damage to property, both misdemeanors, by the Brown County (Wis.) district attorney,” Schefter wrote. “Jacobs was originally arrested May 26 on five counts, including one felony.”
Jacobs’ original arrest carried far more serious charges, including strangulation and suffocation, before prosecutors ultimately reduced the case to two misdemeanors.
His representation issued a statement through NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport following Sunday’s news, though the exact language of his defense hasn’t shifted the league’s decision to sideline him for now.
Green Bay Had Already Started Preparing For This Outcome
General manager Brian Gutekunst acknowledged weeks ago that the team had been bracing for this possibility.
“We’ve obviously been preparing for that in case that happens,” Gutekunst said. “But at the same time, I feel really good about the guys we have in that room.”
That preparation included trading for former Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson earlier this week, a move that now looks especially well-timed.
Head coach Matt LaFleur had stopped short of guaranteeing Jacobs would play Week 1 even before Sunday’s ruling, telling reporters Friday, “I can’t really comment on that, because I don’t know.”
Green Bay now turns to a backfield built around Johnson, MarShawn Lloyd, and Chris Brooks as it opens the 2026 season Sept. 13 against Minnesota.
Jacobs’ case remains unresolved, with his first court appearance still scheduled for Nov. 17. As with any pending case, the charges against Jacobs remain allegations unless proven in court.
