Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs will make his first court appearance next week after his initial hearing was moved forward more than two months, a local reporter covering the team said Friday.
FOX 11 sports anchor Michael Gross reported that Jacobs’ first court date has been rescheduled from Nov. 17 to Thursday, Sept. 10. Court records show the hearing is set for 11 a.m. in Brown County.
The change puts the legal proceeding three days before Green Bay opens the regular season at Minnesota on Sept. 13. Jacobs is not expected to play that game.
Jacobs, 28, faces two Class A misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of nine months in jail, a $10,000 fine, or both.
The NFL placed Jacobs on the commissioner’s exempt list on Aug. 30, three days after the charges were filed. Players on the list cannot practice or attend games. They remain paid and, with team permission, may visit the facility for meetings, individual workouts and treatment.
Jacobs has been Green Bay’s featured runner since signing a four-year, $48 million contract in 2024. He rushed for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns in 17 games that season and added 929 yards and 13 rushing scores in 15 games in 2025. For his career he has 7,803 rushing yards and 74 rushing touchdowns in 105 games.
Prosecutors say the charges stem from a May 23 incident at a home in Hobart. Police responded after an open 911 line captured yelling. The criminal complaint alleges Jacobs grabbed his girlfriend, threw her to the ground in the garage and took her phone, later appearing on surveillance video to damage it.
An officer reported redness on the woman’s face and neck and a bump on her head.
Jacobs was arrested May 26 and booked on five recommended charges, including felony strangulation and suffocation. He was released the next day after District Attorney David Lasee said his office was not ready to file charges and needed more investigation.
On Aug. 27, Lasee’s office filed the two misdemeanors and declined to pursue the felony or other counts that included domestic-abuse enhancers.
“Our office sought to ensure a fair and complete review of available evidence, some of which only recently became available to our office due to significant, ongoing forensic efforts by law enforcement,” Lasee said. “A criminal complaint is nothing more than a written, formal accusation against a defendant alleging the commission of criminal offenses and does not raise any inference of guilt. Mr. Jacobs is presumed innocent of these charges.”
Jacobs’ attorneys responded that day: “The Brown County District Attorney has reviewed evidence and elected to file misdemeanor charges against Josh that do not include domestic violence. The allegations will be addressed in court, and not in the media. Mr. Jacobs respects the District Attorney’s office and the process it followed.”
The Packers said: “We are aware of the charges brought against Josh Jacobs. We will continue to cooperate with the NFL as we work through the process. We will have no further comment at this time.”
Because the charges are misdemeanors, Wisconsin law allows Jacobs’ lawyers to appear without him if authorization is filed. That paperwork was submitted this week, so Jacobs is not required to attend Thursday’s hearing in person.
The league is conducting its own review under the personal conduct policy and has not announced discipline. After Jacobs was placed on the exempt list, his lawyers said: “Josh Jacobs has been placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, which is an administrative procedure used by the NFL while a matter is being reviewed. It is not a final determination. Josh respects the NFL process, the Packers, and his coaches and teammates. He looks forward to his return to the team and the NFL.”
Green Bay has prepared for his absence. The team acquired running back Kaleb Johnson from Pittsburgh and also has MarShawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks available. General manager Brian Gutekunst has said he still expects Jacobs to play for the Packers at some point in 2026.
Thursday’s hearing is an initial appearance, not a trial. It typically involves a reading of the charges, discussion of counsel and scheduling of later dates. No plea is required at that stage. The original November date had fallen during Green Bay’s bye week. Moving it earlier compresses the timeline as the Packers begin a season without their leading rusher.
Jacobs remains on the exempt list until Commissioner Roger Goodell removes him. How quickly the criminal case and the NFL investigation proceed will determine when, or whether, he returns to the field.
