The Josh Jacobs return to the Green Bay Packers remains undetermined as the NFL‘s review of his off-field case stays open with no announced timeline. The Packers running back has been sidelined since Aug. 30, when the league placed him on the commissioner’s exempt list, and he is now positioned to miss a sixth straight game this week.
Players on the exempt list are paid but barred from practicing or attending games, a status that has kept Jacobs away from the team since late summer. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said Oct. 12 that the club has received no updates from the league on Jacobs’ status, according to USA Today.
The Main Development: NFL Review Still Open
Jacobs pleaded no contest Sept. 10 to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property charges tied to a May 23 incident. A judge convicted him of battery, fined him $1,000 and approved a 12-month deferred judgment agreement that could eventually result in the property charge being dismissed, according to Yahoo Sports.
Jacobs addressed the case directly, saying he “took responsibility for his actions.” Despite the resolution in court, the NFL’s own review of the matter has not concluded, and no decision date has been set.
What It Means For A Possible Return
If the league ultimately suspends Jacobs, the time he has already spent on the commissioner’s exempt list would count toward that suspension, according to ESPN. That detail matters because it means every week Jacobs sits now could shorten any ban that follows, rather than extend his overall absence beyond what a suspension alone would require.
Not everyone expects a quick resolution. Former Pro Bowl receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said the delay could keep Jacobs out for the entire season, calling it a possible “silent suspension.” That assessment is Houshmandzadeh’s opinion and not a league decision, but it reflects growing uncertainty around when, or if, Jacobs suits up again in 2026.
Separate From The Records Fight
Jacobs’ case on the field is distinct from a separate legal fight over surveillance video that captured part of the altercation between Jacobs and a woman at his home. Jacobs filed a lawsuit against the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department in Wisconsin to block release of that video and related evidence, arguing it could expose the woman’s identity and reveal security details of his residence, according to CBS Sports.
The police department had approved releasing certain records with redactions, but a party or parties appealed that decision, according to ESPN. In the filing, Jacobs argued the woman involved has asked to protect “her privacy, dignity, personal security, emotional well-being, and ability to participate safely in the criminal justice process.” He separately argued that releasing the video “would reveal private details” about his home’s security setup.
That legal dispute traces back to Sept. 24, when Judge Marc Hammer lifted a temporary seal order on the records. Hammer ruled the police department has discretion to apply a balancing test weighing the rights of the public, the defendant and the victim in deciding what to release. Jacobs’ ex-girlfriend’s attorneys had argued the sealing was justified under Marsy’s Law to protect her privacy, dignity and safety. Total Apex Sports has previously covered the records fight as it moved back into court.
Packers’ Running Back Picture Without Jacobs
The absence has shown up in Green Bay’s production on the ground. The Packers have averaged 60.4 yards per game rushing in five games without Jacobs this season, a figure that ranks last in the NFL by nearly 20 yards per game. The shortfall adds to broader concerns up front, an issue Total Apex Sports examined in a look at the Packers’ offensive line injuries this season.
What’s Next
Jacobs is set to miss a sixth consecutive game as the Packers continue without their lead back and without a timeline from the league on the exempt list review. The team’s rushing struggles figure into preparation for its next matchup, which Total Apex Sports previewed ahead of the Cowboys’ visit to Lambeau Field. No decision date on Jacobs’ NFL status has been announced.
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