The Green Bay Packers won’t be giving up on star running back Josh Jacobs after two misdemeanor criminal charges were brought against him earlier this week.
Jacobs was formally charged Thursday with misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property stemming from an alleged domestic abuse incident that took place at his Wisconsin home in May, the Brown County District Attorney’s Office announced.
Police had arrested Jacobs on suspicion of domestic abuse days after the May 23 incident at his home, but the Brown County District Attorney’s Office had withheld its decision to charge the 28-year-old NFL star at the time pending further investigation.
The new charges won’t dissuade the Packers from keeping Jacobs on the roster, though.
“I fully anticipate him being a member of our team,” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said Friday night after the team’s preseason finale. “I think you’ve got to let everything play out [in the courts], but I anticipate him being a member of our football team.”
Packers Must Await NFL Ruling on Josh Jacobs for Week 1
The Packers have soundly put to bed any suggestion that they might cut Jacobs — a move that would clear about $11.4 million in cap space — during the 2026 season.
Even they cannot say at this point if Jacobs will play in Week 1’s opener, though.
“I can’t really comment on that because I don’t know,” LaFleur said Friday.
The official filing of criminal charges against Jacobs has bearing on his Week 1 availability beyond what punishment he might face in court. The NFL will also conduct its own independent investigation into the incident, as it always does with potential personal conduct violations, and could discipline Jacobs regardless of the legal outcome.
That could mean a lengthy suspension for Jacobs, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“Under the collective bargaining agreement, the baseline suspension for any domestic violence offense is a minimum — a minimum — of six games,” Schefter said Thursday. “So if any of these charges are proven to be true, Josh Jacobs is looking at a lengthy suspension.”
The statement from Jacobs’ legal team, however, is adamant that the charges do not constitute domestic violence.
“The Brown County District Attorney has reviewed evidence and elected to file misdemeanor charges against Josh that do not include domestic violence. The allegations will be addressed in court, and not in the media. Mr. Jacobs respects the District Attorney’s office and the process it followed,” Jacobs’ legal team said in a statement, via SI’s Bill Huber.
Packers ‘Preparing’ for Possible Josh Jacobs Suspension
While the Packers cannot say whether they will have Jacobs available for Week 1, they are bracing for the possibility that they could have to spend some time without their veteran running back.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst admitted before charges were filed against Jacobs that his front office is preparing for a potential suspension, but he also expressed confidence in the other running backs on the roster and his team’s ability to “survive” without Jacobs on the field.
“I’m pretty confident we can sustain it,” Gutekunst said Wednesday before charges were filed against Jacobs. “That doesn’t mean we wouldn’t do that, but we’ll deal with that when it comes. We’ve obviously been preparing for that in case that happens. At the same time, I feel good about the guys we’ve got in that room, and I think we can survive that.”
The Packers have MarShawn Lloyd, a 2024 third-round pick, in place to take the reins from Jacobs if the NFL suspends him. He missed the bulk of his first two seasons with injuries, but he has been healthy and impressive throughout this summer’s camp. Chris Brooks, an offseason re-signing, is also available to shoulder the burden in the backfield.
The Packers will open the 2026 season against the Minnesota Vikings at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 13.
Packers Send Strong Message on Josh Jacobs’ Future Amid Charges