Packers running back Josh Jacobs placed on NFL commissioner exempt list amid criminal charges
Josh Jacobs was moved to the NFL’s commissioner exempt list following misdemeanor battery and property-damage charges, preventing him from practicing or attending games while the league reviews the case.
The NFL announced Sunday that Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs has been placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, a status that bars him from practice, games and team facilities except for limited activities such as meetings, individual workouts, therapy and rehabilitation with the club’s permission. The move follows the filing of misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal-damage charges stemming from an alleged domestic-incident at his home on May 23. The league has not yet decided on any suspension and only commissioner Roger Goodell can lift the exemption.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said he expects Jacobs to remain with the franchise regardless of the legal outcome. General manager Brian Gutekunst expressed confidence that the team’s running-back group can handle a potential suspension, noting that the roster already includes MarShawn Lloyd, a 2024 third-round pick, and backup Chris Brooks, who contributed both as a runner and special-teams player last season.
Jacobs’ attorneys issued a statement emphasizing that the exempt list is an administrative step, not a final judgment, and that Jacobs respects the NFL process and looks forward to returning to the team.
Because Jacobs does not count against the 53-man roster while on the list, the Packers completed a trade for Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson on Sunday to add depth at the position.