The Green Bay Packers will begin the season without starting running back Josh Jacobs. The NFL added Jacobs to the commissioner’s exempt list Sunday, three days after Brown County prosecutors formally charged him with two misdemeanors related to a May domestic incident at his Wisconsin home.
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While on the exempt list, Jacobs cannot practice with the Packers or attend their games. He will still be paid, though, and can take part in meetings and workouts and receive medical treatment at the team facility. His base salary this season is $10.2 million.
The charges filed Thursday were misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property. Both charges are Class A misdemeanors. If Jacobs is convicted, either charge can carry up to nine months behind bars and a fine of as much as $10,000.
The case began with Jacobs’ May 26 arrest, when he was booked on five counts connected to the May 23 incident. The original charges included felony strangulation and suffocation, as well as battery, criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct, and intimidation of a victim. He spent one night in jail before his release. Brown County District Attorney David Lasee explained why it took months to formally file charges.
“Our office sought 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.”
Jacobs’ attorneys pushed back on the domestic violence framing once the misdemeanor charges were announced.
“The Brown County District Attorney has reviewed evidence and elected to file misdemeanor charges against Josh that do not include domestic violence. The allegations will be addressed in court, and not in the media. Mr. Jacobs respects the District Attorney’s office and the process it followed.”
Following Sunday’s exempt-list announcement, Jacobs’ legal team issued a separate statement addressing where things stand with the league.
“Josh Jacobs has been placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, which is an administrative procedure used by the NFL while a matter is being reviewed. It is not a final determination. Josh respects the NFL process, the Packers, and his Coaches and Teammates. He looks forward to his return to the team and the NFL.”
The Packers also made a move to address the situation that same day, trading for running back Kaleb Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers. With Jacobs unavailable, the backfield now includes MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks and Johnson.
What’s Next for Jacobs’ Case and Green Bay’s Backfield
Jacobs has not yet had his first court appearance, and no date has been set. The case is expected to continue through Brown County in the coming months. Meanwhile, the NFL’s investigation is still underway, meaning the league could hand Jacobs a suspension regardless of what happens in court.
The exempt list has been used in a number of high-profile cases over the years, including those involving Adrian Peterson, Michael Vick, Greg Hardy, Josh Brown and Kareem Hunt. The length of time players have spent on it has varied. Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers, for example, spent seven games on the list two years ago before returning while his legal case was still unresolved.
Green Bay had already been dealing with the uncertainty over whether Jacobs would be available when the season began. General manager Brian Gutekunst addressed the situation and Jacobs’ status with the team just a few days before the NFL placed him on the exempt list.
“We’ve obviously been preparing for that in case that happens. But at the same time, I feel really good about the guys we have in that room.” Brian said.
Jacobs is now in the third season of the four-year, $48 million contract he signed with Green Bay after spending five years with the Las Vegas Raiders, including his 2022 rushing-title season, when he also earned All-Pro honors. He put together 1,329 rushing yards in his first year with the Packers in 2024. Last season, he had 929 yards on the ground and scored 13 touchdowns while Green Bay returned to the playoffs for the third year in a row.
That leaves Lloyd, Brooks and Johnson to take the carries while Jacobs is out. The Packers’ season starts September 13 against the Minnesota Vikings. There is no timetable for Jacobs’ return yet, with his availability tied to how his situation develops with the NFL and in Wisconsin court.