Josh Jacobs' legal situation just took a real turn. Back in May, the Packers' starting running back was arrested and booked on five charges, including felony strangulation, stemming from an incident involving a domestic disturbance call. Since then it's been a waiting game to see what the Brown County District Attorney actually decided to do with it. Now we have an answer.
The Brown County District Attorney has formally charged Packers RB Josh Jacobs with two misdemeanors related to his May arrest. Originally booked on five charges, including felony strangulation, Jacobs now faces reduced charges of misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property. The NFL has been monitoring all developments in the matter, which remains under review.
Per Tom Pelissero, the DA has formally charged Jacobs with two misdemeanors: battery and criminal damage to property. That's a massive step down from the original five-count booking, which also included assault, disorderly conduct and intimidation of a victim on top of the felony strangulation charge. Adam Schefter confirmed the same charges via Wisconsin court records.
Packers RB Josh Jacobs now has been charged with misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal damage to property, according to Wisconsin court records.
Jacobs' legal team wasted no time putting out a statement. Attorneys David Z. Chesnoff, Richard A. Schonfeld and Clarence F. Duchac III said the DA "reviewed evidence and elected to file misdemeanor charges against Josh that do not include domestic violence," adding that "the allegations will be addressed in court, and not in the media." That's a notable line given how the story started — a felony domestic violence-adjacent charge is a very different conversation than misdemeanor battery.
Not everyone is reading the reduced charges as the end of the story. Hayden Winks reported that the alleged physical altercation with a girlfriend is said to be on video, and that video is reportedly why the charges were filed at all today. Winks also pointed out the league has taken action in the past once video of an incident has leaked, which puts a different spin on the NFL's ongoing review.
Josh Jacobs alleged physical altercation with a girlfriend is reportedly on video, which is why the charges were filed today. The NFL has taken action once video has been leaked previously.
The stakes here go beyond a courtroom. Jacobs signed a 4-year, $48 million deal with Green Bay in March 2024, stepping in as the lead back after the team moved on from Aaron Jones, and he's been a workhorse for a Packers offense with real playoff aspirations. The NFL has confirmed it's monitoring the matter, which means a personal conduct policy review is very much still in play regardless of how the criminal case shakes out. For now, Jacobs faces misdemeanor charges rather than a felony, but with video reportedly in the mix, this is far from settled.