Josh Jacobs Charged With Two Misdemeanors as NFL Suspension Looms Over Packers Star Running Back
Packers RB Josh Jacobs was formally charged with two misdemeanors tied to a May domestic dispute, with a possible NFL suspension still looming ahead of Week 1.
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs was formally charged Thursday with two misdemeanors stemming from a domestic dispute at his Wisconsin home in May, ending months of uncertainty over whether prosecutors would pursue the felony allegations that led to his arrest. The charges land just days before the Packers open the regular season, with the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy review still hanging over Green Bay’s star rusher.
Jacobs, 28, was booked on May 26 by the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department on five counts tied to an alleged domestic incident, including a felony charge of strangulation and suffocation. The Brown County District Attorney’s Office initially declined to file charges, citing an ongoing evidentiary review, but announced Thursday it had filed a criminal complaint charging Jacobs with misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property. Prosecutors chose not to pursue the felony strangulation count. According to the complaint, Jacobs allegedly threw his girlfriend to the ground during an argument over cellphones at his home in the Village of Hobart on May 23, causing her to strike her head.
What the Charges Mean
Both counts against Jacobs are Class A misdemeanors, each carrying a maximum penalty of nine months in jail and a $10,000 fine if he is convicted. District Attorney David Lasee said in a statement that the office worked to ensure “a fair and complete review of available evidence, some of which only recently became available to our office due to significant, ongoing forensic efforts by law enforcement,” and emphasized that a criminal complaint “does not raise any inference of guilt.” Jacobs is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 17. His legal team, attorneys David Chesnoff, Richard Schonfeld and Clarence Duchac III, issued a statement noting that prosecutors “elected to file misdemeanor charges against Josh that do not include domestic violence,” adding that the allegations “will be addressed in court, and not in the media.”
The case has loomed over Jacobs and the Packers since his arrest, with the NFL confirming it has been monitoring developments under the Personal Conduct Policy throughout the investigation. ESPN’s Adam Schefter has previously reported his belief that the league would hand down a suspension before the season, and the CBA sets a baseline of six games for violations involving domestic violence. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst acknowledged this offseason that the organization has built contingency plans at running back in case Jacobs is sidelined by league discipline, even as the team maintains confidence in its depth behind him.
The timing complicates matters further for Green Bay, which opens the 2026 slate with three of its first four games on the road. Should the NFL ultimately impose the six-game minimum tied to domestic violence cases, Jacobs could be sidelined for matchups against the Vikings, Jets, Falcons, Buccaneers, Bears and Cowboys, forcing the Packers to lean on their depth chart during a critical early stretch. League officials have not indicated a timeline for a ruling, and it remains unclear whether the reduced misdemeanor charges will influence how the Personal Conduct Policy review concludes.
Jacobs’ Standing With the Packers
On the field, Jacobs has been one of Green Bay’s most productive players since signing before the 2024 season, rushing for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns in 15 games last year while adding 36 catches for 282 yards. For his career with the Raiders and Packers, he has piled up 7,803 rushing yards and 74 total touchdowns across 105 games. Jacobs has also been managing a groin injury throughout training camp, limiting his practice reps and preseason workload, though the team has not indicated it will affect his availability for Green Bay’s regular-season opener.
Whether the misdemeanor charges factor into the NFL’s final disciplinary decision remains to be seen, and any suspension would be separate from the criminal proceedings now working through Brown County Circuit Court. Bettors weighing Green Bay’s backfield outlook for the opening stretch of the season may want to check the latest DraftKings promo code before locking in futures or player-prop wagers, given how much uncertainty still surrounds Jacobs’ workload. Until the league rules on a potential ban, both his legal situation and his on-field status figure to remain among the most closely watched storylines in the NFC North heading into Week 1.