GREEN BAY, Wis. — The precarious situation surrounding Josh Jacobs has simmered, at least for now. By no means, though, is it over.
This week will mark Jacobs’ return to the practice field after he was removed from the Commissioner Exempt List on Monday. The Green Bay Packers held a jog-through session on Wednesday, which head coach Matt LaFleur attributed to the team coming off of a late Sunday night game while also being mindful of the future. After Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions, the Packers have a four-day turnaround before hosting the Carolina Panthers for a Thursday night game.
LaFleur is noncommittal about Jacobs’ playing status in Detroit, but said that he has a “pretty good feel” for where the Packers’ running back is from a physical standpoint. He’s anticipating that two full practices on Thursday and Friday should be enough to get Jacobs acclimated again. It helps that he’s still been able to be around the team in the facility throughout the six weeks he spent on the exempt list.
“It’s just now he can get involved in some of the walkthrough stuff, and some of the team stuff,” LaFleur said. “It was great to have him back out there.”
It was essentially a paid leave for Jacobs, stemming from a May 23 altercation involving his then-girlfriend. The 28-year-old Jacobs turned himself in to the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department and was booked into Brown County Jail on five charges. One of those charges—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, to which Jacobs pled no contest. 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 league could still opt to suspend Jacobs if they deem he violated their Personal Conduct Policy, but the six weeks he spent on the exempt list will count as time served toward any suspension.
It’s a balancing act for LaFleur and the Packers, who are undoubtedly ecstatic to have Jacobs infused back into their already explosive offense. They’ve been the worst rushing team in the league this season, ranking No. 32 in both total rushing yards and averaging rushing yards per game.
However, the allegations against Jacobs loom heavily. It’s a black cloud that will hover over the Packers until it is fully resolved, and even then, the question of morality will continue to be a factor. What Jacobs provides on the field is one thing, but it’s nearly impossible to overlook what has happened off of it, especially if video evidence of the dispute comes to light.
“I think, a lot of times, you get in a situation where you might not make the right decision, and I think people learn from their mistakes,” said LaFleur. “I think he’s extremely remorseful, and I do believe that he’s a good person. I’ve been around him quite a bit.
“I believe in second chances.”
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 Oct. 15, 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.
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.