11:05pm: Following this morning’s newly reported allegations, Jacobs’ attorneys released a statement in defense of the 28-year-old rusher (via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic):
The Brown County District Attorney’s office had these uncorroborated, old, and previously unreported allegations for months. They conducted their own exhaustive investigation, along with the police department, and the D.A. determined that only two misdemeanor charges were warranted. They then entered into a plea agreement with Josh Jacobs. Josh has repeatedly expressed his remorse and is honoring the terms of the agreement.
As Pelissero mentioned below, the league’s investigation did not stop when Jacobs was taken off paid administrative leave. The NFL left the door open for further recourse, if warranted, per Mark Maske of Front Office Sports, and today’s allegations may have more to do with that than with the previously arranged court agreement.
11:56am: Three additional women have accused Packers running back Josh Jacobs of physical abuse, according to police records obtained by NBC 26.
Jacobs, 28, pled no contest in September to a pair of misdemeanors stemming from a domestic violence incident in Wisconsin in May. He was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list for the first six games of the regular season as a de facto suspension, but the NFL kept his case open in case the need for additional punishment arose.
That may well be the case after another round of allegations. Two women contacted police after news of Jacobs was arrested this spring, while the third was connected with authorities via the initial victim in the May case. All three of those incidents took place in 2021 and 2022. Jacobs’ case file includes disturbing details of his alleged physical abuse, some of which had been previously reported to police.
The NFL released a statement (via The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero) saying that the league would “review these allegations as part of the investigation which has remained open.” Jacobs, who has appeared in the Packers’ last two games and used what appeared be a handcuff gesture to celebrate a touchdown on Thursday night, remains eligible to play, though that can change at any time.
The Packers have stood by their star running back this year, but they have also been among the teams linked to a trade for Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, per Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport of ESPN. The latest accusations could push them to consider a future without Jacobs, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes. The eight-year veteran has no guaranteed money remaining on his contract, which only runs through 2027 anyway.
