Josh Jacobs’ regression could be a concern for the Green Bay Packers. After amassing 1,329 rushing yards in 2024, the three-time Pro Bowl running back finished with only 929 in 15 games last season.
Bouncing back from a subpar season isn’t new to Jacobs, as he has done twice in his career. However, the 2026 season presents a different challenge for the three-time Pro Bowler. In addition to Jacobs’ recent groin injury, his legal woes could lead to suspension.
Why Was Josh Jacobs Arrested?
Multiple reports confirmed that Jacobs was arrested on May 26 in Brown County, Wisconsin, due to a complaint received on May 23 at 8:37 a.m. local time. As shared by NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department arrested the Packers running back on the following charges:
- Battery – Domestic Abuse
- Criminal damage to property – Domestic Abuse
- Disorderly Conduct – Domestic Abuse
- Strangulation and Suffocation
- Intimidation of a Victim
Jacobs was booked into the Brown County Jail but was released the following day after the Brown County District Attorney’s Office found insufficient evidence to press criminal charges. The brief jail time kept him active during the Packers’ offseason activities, including the early part of training camp.
Unfortunately, according to Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, Jacobs could be out for the first week of preseason.
Meanwhile, Jacobs is still facing uncertainty regarding the domestic abuse charges. The Brown County District Attorney’s Office can make a formal charging decision after gathering more evidence and testimony.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator
Is Josh Jacobs’ Suspension Imminent?
The National Football League could suspend Jacobs without waiting for the District Attorney’s decision. The league has been stern in penalizing domestic violence offenders, especially since the 2010s.
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter also recently revealed that the Packers RB could miss some games due to the suspension.
“It’s also possible that your team, the Green Bay Packers, are going to lose Josh Jacobs,” Schefter said to The Pat McAfee Show host and die-hard Packers fan Ty Schmit. “That also is still under review and still a pending situation with the NFL.”
PREDICT THE NFL SEASON: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
While the suspension facing Jacobs is uncertain, there are precedents that the NFL could follow, depending on the severity of his transgressions. In 2015, guard Rodney Austin served a six-game suspension after a court found him guilty of domestic violence. Two years later, the NFL also suspended running back Ezekiel Elliott for six games.
In 2014, the league indefinitely suspended Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice for domestic violence stemming from a physical altercation between him and his then-fiancée (now wife), Janay Palmer, at the Revel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
While Rice won his NFL appeal after an arbitrator ruled the league had improperly punished him twice for the same incident, he never played in the NFL again, even after being reinstated.
These situations could influence how the NFL handles the Jacobs’ situation. Though his teammates have expressed support for him, the league has been proactive in reacting to domestic violence matters. Therefore, a likely suspension will have the 28-year-old running back miss some games early in the 2026 season.
