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Josh Jacobs calls more allegations of abuse surfacing ‘an attack on me’
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs says recent allegations of abuse against him are false and feel like an attack on his character. The claims surfaced in police records released over the weekend, and the NFL says it will consider them as part of its ongoing investigation into his conduct.
Jacobs, 28, pleaded no contest in September to battery and criminal destruction of property charges linked to an alleged domestic violence incident in May; the records also contain accounts from three other women alleging physical and verbal abuse. He missed six games while on the commissioner’s exempt list and returned on 25 October. Jacobs says he is not expecting to miss more time, while the league has yet to reach a final decision.
In short
- Jacobs denies the latest abuse allegations and calls them an attack on his character.
- Police records include accounts from three other women.
- The NFL is still investigating; Jacobs has already missed six games.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Jacobs’s denial deserves to be heard fairly: allegations in police records are not, by themselves, proof that each reported incident occurred, and he is entitled to challenge claims he says are false. He may also reasonably feel that additional allegations, emerging publicly while the NFL investigation is ongoing, risk damaging his reputation before the league reaches a decision.
The case against
The allegations from three other women may be relevant to assessing Jacobs’s conduct, particularly alongside his no-contest plea to battery and criminal destruction of property charges arising from a separate incident. The NFL can reasonably consider the available accounts in its ongoing investigation to assess whether further action is warranted, while recognising that the additional claims still require careful evaluation.
Explained simply
Josh Jacobs is an American football running back for the Green Bay Packers, a team in the National Football League (NFL). The league can investigate players’ conduct and decide on discipline under its own rules, separately from any criminal case.
In September, Jacobs pleaded no contest to charges of battery and criminal damage arising from an incident in May. A no-contest plea means he did not contest the charges, without admitting guilt. He spent six games on the commissioner’s exempt list, a temporary status that keeps a player out of games while the NFL reviews a matter.
The police records also include allegations from three other women, which Jacobs denies. The NFL’s review matters because it could lead to further discipline, though the league has not announced a final decision.