Josh Jacobs’ 2026 season is now shadowed by a courtroom date and a warning from within the league. The Green Bay Packers running back faces misdemeanor charges tied to a May domestic incident. Former NFL lineman Breiden Fehoko says new evidence could lead to the end of Jacobs’ career.
According to Ari Meirov, surveillance footage of the alleged incident verifies the claims made by the woman who claims Jacobs hit her. The video shows her on the floor, and Jacobs damaging her phone. Should the court find the running back guilty, Meirov said he could be looking at 18 months in prison.
“If that video ever goes public, he will never see another snap in the NFL. The sad reality is he’ll probably play again, but if that video drops? It’s over with,” Fehoko posted on X.
Josh Jacobs has spent eight seasons in the league so far, and is entering his third with the Packers.
On Thursday, Wisconsin court records confirmed the Packers running back was charged with misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property, more than three months after his arrest back in May.
Per official records, the woman, identified as Jacobs’ girlfriend, was assaulted by the running back in an altercation that lasted for several minutes. She and Jacobs fought after she found incriminating messages on the latter’s phone. A police officer later noted visible redness on her face and neck, along with a bump on the back of her head.
Jacobs spent one night in jail before being released, and prosecutors spent months reviewing evidence before landing on the two misdemeanor counts filed this week. Each is a Class A misdemeanor, meaning Jacobs could be looking at up to $10,000 in fines or nine months behind bars per charge if convicted.
The incident can easily warrant a suspension by the NFL, which has already launched its own investigation. The Packers have acknowledged the matter in a public statement, but refused to comment on anything else.
Josh Jacobs joined the team less than a week after he was arrested. However, he had been dealing with a groin injury in training camp recently and was sidelined. Losing Jacobs to a suspension will be a big loss for the team, as he enters the season with a record of 929 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.
The current depth behind him includes MarShawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks, with Pierre Strong Jr. probably slotting in as the fourth back if needed. Whether the Packers need that extra piece could come down to how the next few weeks play out. But it is important to note that neither player has experience that matches Jacobs’.
As for what’s next, Jacobs is set to make his first court appearance on November 17, meaning this story isn’t going away anytime soon.