NFL places Packers RB Josh Jacobs on commissioner exempt list after offseason domestic abuse arrest

Running back Josh Jacobs will miss the start of the 2026 NFL season this fall.

The NFL placed the Green Bay Packer on the commissioner exempt list on Sunday after his arrest earlier this year, the league announced.

Jacobs will not be allowed to practice or play for the Packers while he is on the list, though he will continue to be paid. It is unclear how long he will be on the exempt list. The league can still issue a suspension.

The Packers open the season against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 13.

"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," Jacobs' representation said in a statement, via the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport . "Josh respects the NFL process, the Packers, and his coaches and teammates. He looks forward to his return to the team and the NFL."

Jacobs was arrested in Wisconsin in May and was levied five different charges related to domestic abuse. He was formally charged with battery and criminal damage to property last week, both of which are misdemeanors in Wisconsin.

Specifics of the incident aren't publicly unknown, and Jacobs denied the allegations made against him. Jacobs was in police custody for about a day before he was released.

Jacobs then returned to the team and started preparing for the new season as normal. The league launched an investigation into the matter.

While things were pending for several months, the Packers knew that a suspension or a spot on the exempt list was a possibility.

"We've obviously been preparing for that in case that happens," general manager Brian Gutekunst said on Wednesday . "But at the same time, I feel really good about the guys we have in that room."

Jacobs had 929 rushing yards and 14 total touchdowns last season, his second with the Packers after starting his career with the Las Vegas Raiders. He signed a four-year, $48 million deal with the Packers in free agency ahead of the 2024 campaign.

Jacobs and the Packers went 9-7-1 last season and made the postseason for a third straight campaign, though they were knocked out in the wild-card round of the playoffs against the rival Chicago Bears.

With Jacobs now sidelined, his workload is likely going to fall to Chris Brooks and MarShawn Lloyd. Brooks has spent the last two seasons with the Packers, and he had 106 rushing yards on 27 attempts last fall. Lloyd, who was selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, has appeared in only one game due to various injuries.

The Packers also reportedly made a move Sunday to trade for running back Kaleb Johnson in a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Johnson, who was selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, had 69 rushing yards on 28 carries with the Steelers.

While the Packers are undoubtedly in a much better spot when Jacobs is around, it may be a while before he's able to take the field for them again this season.