Packers’ Josh Jacobs situation grows more complicated after latest legal decision in Wisconsin
The running back has already missed two games while on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, and a league suspension is on the table.
The Green Bay Packers and running back Josh Jacobs face a more complicated timeline after a Brown County District Court ruling added a new layer to his ongoing legal situation. Judge Mark A. Hammer denied a request by the victim to have evidence permanently sealed and instead turned the matter over to the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department, which conducted the criminal investigation in Brown County.
Jacobs was arrested on May 26, and incidents involving his ex-girlfriend occurred on May 23. He has already resolved his criminal case, pleading no contest to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property. The plea means Jacobs agreed to resolve the case without fighting the charges, even though he did not formally admit guilt.
On the criminal damage to property charge, the court accepted Jacobs’ no contest plea on five conditions: no further criminal acts, no contact with the victim, supervision, counseling, and paying restitution to the victim. Jacobs has been ordered to pay a $1,000 fine plus costs on the battery charge, and the deferred judgment agreement has been accepted.
Jacobs and Green Bay will have to be patient
For now, Jacobs remains on the NFL Commissioner’s Exempt List. The designation means he is not formally suspended and Green Bay is still obligated to pay his salary. He cannot practice or play, however.
The NFL is expected to eventually suspend Jacobs, and according to ESPN, the suspension might fall in a four-to-six-game range. If there is video evidence the NFL can access at some point, that could affect the length of his suspension.
Jacobs carries a $10.2 million base salary this season, which comes out to roughly $566,000 per week. That is the amount he would forfeit per game if suspended, and that money would eventually be credited back to the Packers’ salary cap. While on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, Jacobs receives his full salary. If he is eventually suspended, the games he missed while on the exempt list would count toward his suspension.
The sealed evidence question
The fact that the records have not been permanently sealed does not mean they will be released immediately. The records include surveillance video outlined in the criminal report, which includes a portion of the incident that was caught on camera. The Hobart-Lawrence Police Department will handle any new requests made under public records laws. If the department decides to release the evidence, the victim or Jacobs will be entitled to appeal before anything becomes public.
This development could complicate the case and potentially delay the NFL’s final decision regarding Jacobs’ suspension. So far, Jacobs has already missed two games and will miss the “Thursday Night Football” game against the Atlanta Falcons before any type of decision is made by the league.
