The Green Bay Packers remain without Josh Jacobs as the NFL conducts its review of the veteran running back, and a new court development could become important to what happens next.
Brown County Judge Marc Hammer on Thursday declined a proposed order that would have permanently sealed evidence in Jacobs’ criminal case, FOX 11 reported. The ruling does not mean the evidence has been released. Hammer is still reviewing the sealing request, with a Sept. 24 status conference remaining on the calendar.
The distinction matters because the NFL and media outlets have requested access to video evidence connected to the May incident involving Jacobs and his former girlfriend. FOX 11 reported that the league wants the footage as part of its investigation into a possible violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
Jacobs remains on the commissioner’s exempt list, leaving one of Green Bay’s most productive offensive players unable to practice or play while the league completes its review.
Jacobs Evidence Fight Remains Unsettled
The latest ruling adds another turn to a case that appeared to be moving toward a more settled stage after Jacobs reached a plea agreement Sept. 10.
Jacobs pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property in Brown County. He was fined $1,000 on the battery conviction and avoided jail. Under the agreement, the criminal damage charge can be dismissed if he satisfies a series of requirements over the next year, including counseling and avoiding contact with the victim.
“I fully understand the seriousness of the situation, and I take full responsibility,” Jacobs told the court at his plea hearing.
Attention has since shifted to the evidence in the case, particularly surveillance video from Jacobs’ home. An attorney for his ex-girlfriend filed a motion seeking to have evidence sealed, including the video. The request has brought up privacy protections under Wisconsin’s Marsy’s Law.
Hammer declined the proposed permanent sealing order Thursday while continuing to review the broader issue. The Sept. 24 hearing will likely address the matter further.
For the NFL, the unresolved status of the video is significant. The league and media organizations have requested copies, according to FOX 11, and the NFL is seeking the footage for its own disciplinary review.
NFL Decision Still Looms Over Packers
Until the league completes that process, Green Bay will have to wait on Jacobs’ football status.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur declined to go into detail about Jacobs after the plea agreement, telling reporters last week that he would wait until the league finishes its investigation before discussing the matter further.
The absence is substantial for the Packers. Jacobs led Green Bay with 929 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns in 15 games last season, per the team’s official website. He also caught 36 passes for 282 yards and another score. His 13 rushing touchdowns tied for fourth in the NFL.
Jacobs had already built himself into the center of Green Bay’s ground game after rushing for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns during his first season with the Packers in 2024.
Now his return timeline depends on process outside the team’s control.
Thursday’s ruling does not settle whether the surveillance video will ultimately become available to the NFL or the public. It does, however, leave the question open rather than locking the evidence away permanently at this stage.
That makes Sept. 24 the next date to watch. With Jacobs still sidelined on the exempt list and the league continuing its personal conduct review, the court’s handling of the evidence could shape what information the NFL has before making its next decision.
Packers’ Josh Jacobs Case Takes New Turn as NFL Wants Surveillance Video