Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs faces growing uncertainty about whether he will be ready for the team’s Week 1 opener, as both an injury and unresolved legal matters continue to cloud his status.
The veteran back has been sidelined from practice since the Aug. 6 session because of a groin issue. Head coach Matt LaFleur said Tuesday that Jacobs will miss at least the first week of the preseason, though reports indicate the team does not view the injury as a major long-term concern.
Compounding the situation is the ongoing investigation into Jacobs’ May arrest in Wisconsin on domestic abuse-related charges. The Brown County District Attorney’s Office had not closed the case as of late July, leaving open the possibility that charges could still be filed.
Even if local prosecutors decline to pursue the matter, the NFL is separately reviewing Jacobs’ off-field conduct and could impose its own discipline. ESPN’s Adam Schefter discussed the situation on his podcast Tuesday, noting the league’s review process remains active.
“It’s also possible that your team, the Green Bay Packers, are going to lose Josh Jacobs,” Schefter said. “That also is still under review and still a pending situation with the NFL.”
Police arrested Jacobs on May 26 following a disturbance complaint filed three days earlier. He was booked into Brown County Jail on five charges, including a felony count of strangulation and a misdemeanor battery charge. Jacobs was released the following day and has denied the allegations.
The legal questions have not kept him off the field during organized team activities or the early portions of training camp. He participated fully until the recent groin injury forced him to the sideline. Teammates have offered measured support while acknowledging the sensitivity of the matter.
“Everyone knows what the situation is there,” Packers quarterback Jordan Love said. “We’ve talked, but obviously the details — everyone’s keeping that under wraps right now, out of respect for the situation and obviously all the legal stuff that’s going to be playing out. But it’s great to have Josh here with us, being able to work with us and getting back to work. But yeah, kind of everybody’s just waiting and letting it play out on its own.”
Schefter emphasized that Jacobs is among several players whose cases the league is examining behind the scenes. Decisions on potential suspensions or other penalties are expected before the regular season begins, and those outcomes could significantly affect multiple teams’ plans.
“Right now, there are some things going on behind closed doors that we don’t have access to that are going to have a significant impact on this season depending on how these conversations go,” Schefter said Tuesday. “And what I’m talking about is the potential discipline for a handful of players that we believe will be handed down, whatever it is, by the start of the regular season.”
Among the others under review, according to Schefter, are Atlanta Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr., who faces domestic violence charges stemming from a February arrest in Miami. The league is also looking at cases involving Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua and offensive tackle Alaric Jackson, Denver Broncos edge rusher Jonathon Cooper, and free-agent wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
“Discipline still is a potential option, and by the time the regular season opens — and probably sooner — we’ll have more clarity as it pertains to Puka Nacua, Josh Jacobs, James Pearce, Alaric Jackson, Jonathan Cooper and maybe more.”
For the Packers, the combination of Jacobs’ physical setback and the lingering possibility of a suspension creates a dual challenge as they prepare for the season. The team has other running backs on the roster who have seen increased work in practice, but losing a proven starter and 2025 team captain would force adjustments to both the offensive game plan and depth chart.
LaFleur and the coaching staff have so far downplayed the injury’s severity while remaining cautious about a firm return timeline. Jacobs’ absence through the early preseason games will at least limit his opportunities to build chemistry with the offense in game-like situations.
As the investigation and the league’s internal review continue, the Packers must plan for multiple scenarios.
Whether Jacobs returns healthy and available for Week 1 or faces further time away remains an open question that will likely be answered in the coming weeks.
