Packers' Josh Jacobs shows
contrition as he prepares to play again amid ongoing NFL investigation
[October 22, 2026]
By STEVE MEGARGEE
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs
expressed contrition as he returned to practice Wednesday and talked
to reporters for the first time since pleading no contest to two
misdemeanor charges stemming from a May altercation with his
then-girlfriend during which she said he threw her to the ground.
“Obviously, man, I’m remorseful and sorry for putting this team in
this situation,” Jacobs said. “Sometimes when you go through life,
situations occur and a four-second, three-second decision can alter
your life, honestly.”
Jacobs was removed this week from the commissioner’s exempt list,
which had prevented him from playing or practicing. The NFL had
placed Jacobs on that list Aug. 30, shortly after charges were filed
against him. He pleaded no contest last month to misdemeanor counts
of battery and criminal damage to property.
The NFL is still investigating Jacobs over the incident, so the
league still could hand out more discipline to the three-time Pro
Bowl running back. But for now, Jacobs is eligible to play again for
the Packers after missing the first six games of the season.
“I thought I’d be playing sooner,” Jacobs said. “But, you know, the
optics of everything, I understand the other side. For me, like I
said, I’m just grateful to be able to play. It was one of them
things where I didn’t want to sit the whole year and then figure it
out. I’m just grateful to be back on the team and to be back
playing.”
Jacobs doesn't discuss details of his arrest
Jacobs was arrested May 26, three days after police officers came to
his Wisconsin home to investigate a disturbance. According to
police, the woman told them that Jacobs grabbed her and threw her to
the ground as she was trying to exit a garage door, causing her to
hit her head. Police said Jacobs also took her phone from her while
she was on the ground.
Police said they noticed redness on her face and neck and could feel
a bump on the back of her head.
The criminal complaint against him noted that a surveillance video
from the camera system in their garage corroborated the woman’s
statement. Both Jacobs and the victim have gone to court attempting
to have that video and other evidence sealed permanently.
Jacobs declined to discuss the specifics of his case but said he
hopes to use the situation as an opportunity to grow into a better
person.
“Obviously you never want to be in this situation, but just me being
honest, for my life, it was probably one of the best things to ever
happen to me,” Jacobs said. “I say that because it gave me a chance
to sit down and reevaluate what’s important and what I want my life
to look like, and what do I want people to know me for. When they
think of me, what are they going to say?”
Jacobs didn't fear possibility he might not play again
Jacobs was asked Wednesday if he’d feared the possibility he might
never play again after his arrest.
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Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs works out during NFL
football practice, June 9, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Kayla
Wolf, File)
“I wasn’t overly concerned about that because in my heart, I know
what happened and what didn’t happen,” Jacobs said. “And I’ll just
trust the legal process. So for me, I wasn’t ever overly concerned
of not playing again. It was just a matter of when.”
Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love said Jacobs had spoken to the team
about the situation back when the incident occurred and added that
the Packers are “happy to have Josh back, for sure.” Green Bay’s
offense ranks last in the NFL in yards rushing per game (59.8) and
yards per carry (2.9).
Coach Matt LaFleur hasn’t indicated what kind of workload Jacobs
might get Sunday at Detroit, or even whether he would play at all.
Jacobs was unable to practice or play while on the commissioner’s
exempt list, but he was able to attend meetings and lift weights and
condition with the Packers’ strength coaches.
“I think people learn from their mistakes and I think he’s extremely
remorseful and I do believe that he’s a good person,” LaFleur said.
“I’ve been around him quite a bit and I just, I believe in second
chances.”
LaFleur’s comment Wednesday was more measured than what he said
Sept. 1, after the charges were filed but before Jacobs pleaded no
contest to the two misdemeanors. LaFleur said then that “I believe
him and I trust him” and added that “I’m going to do that until
proven otherwise.”
Jacobs was asked if he feels he needs to earn back the respect of
teammates and what he would say to fans.
“I don’t think I had to earn respect back from the guys because I’m
the same person every day,” Jacobs said. “Like I said, at the end of
the day, we’re human. We all make mistakes. It’s just different for
me because I’m in the public eye. But you know, like I said, I’ll
let other people speak to my character and who I am and who I
consistently have been.
“When it comes to earning the respect of the fans, I mean, for me,
it’s more of a thing of not trying to put this organization in a
position where it looks negative in any type of way. But at the end
of the day, people are always going to have their opinion. People
are going to believe what they believe, and it’s not really my job
to try to explain or discount certain things. All I can try to do is
control what I can control and move on from there.”
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