Josh Jacobs isn't waiting around for this to play out. The Packers running back's initial court appearance on two misdemeanor charges was originally set for Nov. 17, but it just got bumped all the way up to Sept. 10 at 11 a.m. at the Brown County courthouse.
With Josh Jacobs on paid leave, he has good reason to expedite the prosecution. To that end, his initial hearing has been moved from November 17 to September 10. t.co/2uCGM3cTSo
The charges stem from a May 23 incident at Jacobs' home in Hobart, Wisconsin, involving his girlfriend. He was arrested May 26 and released the next day, but formal charges of battery and criminal damage to property weren't filed until Aug. 27 — more than 3 months later. The NFL responded by placing him on the commissioner's exempt list, which keeps him out of practices and games but still paid, pending the league's own investigation.
That paid-leave situation is exactly why the timeline matters here. As long as this case drags, Jacobs sits, and the Packers' backfield sits without one of its top backs — he put up 929 yards and 13 touchdowns for Green Bay last season on a 4-year, $48 million deal that runs through 2027. Getting his hearing on the books sooner is the first real step toward resolving whether he's back on the field or facing further discipline.
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs’ initial court appearance on misdemeanor charges has been moved up more than two months, per @RobDemovsky. Jacobs, who was charged with battery and criminal destruction of property, is now scheduled to appear on Sept. 10 at 11 a.m. at the Brown County courthouse after initially being scheduled for November 17.
Because the charges are misdemeanors, Jacobs' attorney is allowed to appear in his place if an authorization to appear is filed — and per reporting, that's already been done. So don't expect Jacobs himself to show up at Brown County next week; this is a procedural step, not a trial.
Green Bay already moved to patch the running back room while Jacobs is out, trading for Kaleb Johnson from the Steelers. But that's a stopgap, not a solution — the Packers need Jacobs' legal situation to actually resolve one way or another before they know what their offense looks like the rest of the year.