GREEN BAY, Wis. — The latest development in the Josh Jacobs saga will result in the Green Bay Packers’ star running back returning to the field next week.
That’s at least the case for now. The saga isn’t over, but in a statement released by the NFL on Friday, the league stated that the 28-year-old Jacobs will be removed from the Commissioner’s Exempt List on Monday, Oct. 19. Jacobs will then be eligible to practice throughout the week in preparation for making his season debut in the Packers’ Oct. 25 game against the Detroit Lions.
Here’s the full release from the NFL.
“The National Football League today notified Josh Jacobs of the Green Bay Packers that he will be removed from the Commissioner Exempt List on Oct. 19. He will be eligible to play in the Packers’ Week 7 game on Oct. 25 after missing six games.
The NFL initiated an investigation under the Personal Conduct Policy following Jacobs’ arrest in May. The league’s review remains ongoing and is not affected by this change to Jacobs’ roster status.
Jacobs was placed on the Commissioner Exempt List on Aug. 30.”
After the Packers host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Jacobs will have been on the Commissioner Exempt List for the first six games of the regular season. That counts as time served toward a potential suspension, which could still occur down the road if more details surrounding Jacobs’ situation emerge.
If the league decides on a six-game suspension, Jacobs won’t have to miss more time. If it’s more than six, the Packers will have to be prepared to be without him—once again—for potentially multiple games.
Following the news that Jacobs’ return is on the horizon, his attorneys, Clarence F. Duchac III, David Z. Chesnoff, and Richard A. Schonfeld, issued a statement.
“Josh has dedicated the last several months to bettering himself, and he accepts responsibility for his actions. He is excited to get back to work and on the field with his teammates. Josh is grateful for the supprot he is receiving from his teammates, coaches, the Packers organization, and the greatest fans in the world. Since there are ongoing legal matters, he will not have any further comment.”
On Saturday, May 23, the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department was dispatched to the scene of a domestic dispute involving Jacobs and his then-girlfriend. Three days later, Jacobs was booked into Brown County Jail on five charges, one of which—strangulation and suffocation—was a Class H felony. Three of the charges were dismissed, and two of them—battery and criminal damage of property—were reduced to misdemeanors. Jacobs pled no contest to the two misdemeanors. His Nov. 17 court date was moved up to Thursday, Sept. 10, and Jacobs accepted a plea deal that included a $1,000 fine.
The existence of video surveillance footage from inside Jacobs’ garage depicting the incident could drastically alter the outcome for both Jacobs’ time with the Packers and his playing career. According to what was detailed in the police report, the video displayed Jacobs shoving the victim to the ground. The report also states that the victim hit her head—and the bump on her head supported that claim—before walking back into the house after lying on the ground for a while. In the midst of the incident, Jacobs smashed the victim’s phone.
On Thursday, Jacobs and the victim filed a lawsuit against the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department to prevent the release of the footage. This comes on the heels of the department lifting the temporary seal that was placed on the footage and records from the incident on Sept. 24.
Sans Jacobs, the Packers have been attempting to pick up the pieces in their backfield. MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, Pierre Strong Jr., and Kaleb Johnson have all carried the ball this season, but neither option has been very effective. Brooks was recently placed on injured reserve due to an ankle injury, while Lloyd is coming off a two-touchdown performance in Sunday’s win over the Chicago Bears.
Regardless of who has been carrying the ball, it hasn’t made much of a difference. The Packers are ranked No. 32 in both team rushing yards and average rushing yards per game.
Zachary Jacobson is the author of The Packer Dispatch. He is entering his 12th season covering the Green Bay Packers after spending seven as the Editor-in-Chief of Packer Report. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. Follow him on Twitter @zachjacobson or contact him via email at itszachariahj@gmail.com.
NFL Wheel of discipline strikes again! Just want consistency on how these things are dealt with.