Josh Jacobs Returns to Packers Lineup as New Allegations Surface
The running back played in his second straight game after spending six weeks on the exempt list, while the league continues its review of new records released by Wisconsin police.
By Julia Novak ·
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs took the field for a second consecutive game this week, returning from the commissioner's exempt list to contribute to the team's offensive output.
Jacobs spent the first six games of the 2026 season sidelined, unable to practice or play. The NFL placed him on the list as it investigated charges stemming from a May incident in Wisconsin. He reentered the lineup in the final two games of that stretch, a move that aligns with his stated belief that the league has already gathered enough evidence to make its decision.
The situation evolved on Friday night when the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department released records in response to a public records request. The documents contained accounts from three other women who reported similar allegations from years prior to Jacobs' arrest. The release added a new layer to the ongoing NFL probe, which the league said remains active.
Jacobs addressed the media on Wednesday, describing his mental approach to the pending outcome. He stated that he is not paralyzed by the possibility of further suspension. "With all the evidence that we have and that they have at this point, it's not one of those things where I'm sitting back on my hands like, 'OK, am I going to play this week?'" he said. He added that he feels the ball is now in the league's court regarding their final decision.
The legal team representing the running back pushed back on the new information. Lawyers David Z. Chesnoff, Richard A. Schonfeld, and Clarence F. Duchac III told reporters that Jacobs possesses a substantial body of tangible evidence that disputes the claims found in the police records. They characterized the new allegations as old, hearsay, and easily disproven. The attorneys noted that one of the three women previously made a claim to the NFL, which reviewed it and determined no action was warranted at that time.
The original incident occurred on May 23, when police responded to a disturbance at Jacobs' Wisconsin home. A woman told officers that Jacobs grabbed her and threw her to the ground as she attempted to exit a garage door. Police reported that the woman hit her head on the impact and that Jacobs took her phone while she was on the ground. Officers observed redness on her face and neck and felt a bump on the back of her head.
Jacobs was arrested on May 26. On September 10, he pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges: battery and criminal damage to property. The plea deal concluded the initial criminal case, but the NFL's disciplinary process has continued independently.
The league declined to comment on the specific statements made by Jacobs' lawyers. However, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said on Saturday that the organization would review the newly released allegations as part of its broader investigation. That review remains underway as the season progresses.
Jacobs said the situation feels like an attack on his character, noting that much of the public discourse consists of false information. He emphasized his desire to remain true to himself rather than becoming closed off or angry. "I didn't want to go to a place where I felt like I was closed off and I'm angry all the time because of what's going on in my life," he said.
