Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs has been placed on the NFL’s Commissioner’s Exempt List, preventing him from practising or attending games while two misdemeanor charges are reviewed.
The decision was announced on Sunday, 30 August, three days after Brown County prosecutors charged the 28-year-old with battery and criminal damage to property. The charges relate to an alleged physical confrontation with his girlfriend at his home in Hobart, Wisconsin, in May.
Jacobs will continue to receive his salary while on the list. With the Packers’ permission, he may attend meetings and take part in individual workouts, rehabilitation, therapy and other permitted non-football activities.
His lawyers, David Z. Chesnoff, Richard A. Schonfeld and Clarence F. Duchac III, said the move was “an administrative procedure used by the NFL while a matter is being reviewed”.
“It is not a final determination,” they added. “Josh respects the NFL process, the Packers, and his Coaches and Teammates. He looks forward to his return to the team and the NFL.”
Packers move to strengthen running back options
Green Bay have acted to bolster a position already short of depth, acquiring Kaleb Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round draft pick.
Johnson, selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, played in 10 games as a rookie and recorded 69 rushing yards from 28 carries. He joins MarShawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks as the running backs currently available to the Packers.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said on Friday that he expected Jacobs to remain part of the team, but admitted he did not know whether the player would be available for the regular-season opener against the Minnesota Vikings on 13 September.
The Packers said after the charges were filed that they were aware of the case and would continue to co-operate with the NFL, declining to comment further.
Josh Jacobs faces November court appearance
Jacobs was arrested on 26 May, three days after police were called to his home to investigate a disturbance. He was released the following day while prosecutors sought further evidence.
According to the criminal complaint, police allege that Jacobs grabbed the woman and threw her to the ground as she tried to leave through a garage, causing her to hit her head. Investigators said surveillance footage recovered from the property supported parts of her account.
Jacobs’ lawyers have stressed that the charges do not include domestic violence. He is due to make his initial court appearance on 17 November and is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The running back rushed for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. He has 7,803 rushing yards and 74 touchdowns during a seven-year NFL career, and is under contract with Green Bay through the 2027 season.
