Terrion Arnold, Jonathon Cooper and Josh Jacobs each began the 2026 season on the commissioner’s exempt list. Cooper has now been removed, while the same will soon be true in Jacobs’ case.
The Packers running back will come off the exempt list on Monday, as first reported by The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero. That means Jacobs will be eligible to return to practice after Green Bay’s Sunday night matchup with Dallas. His season debut could come as early as Week 7.
A league statement confirms that, just like Cooper, the NFL’s investigation into Jacobs is ongoing. Discipline under the personal conduct policy could still be coming as a result. In the event of a suspension, the six games Jacobs will have missed while on (in essence) paid leave would count toward the total.
“Josh has dedicated the last several months to bettering himself, and he accepts responsibility for his actions,” a statement from Jacobs’ attorneys reads (h/t Pelissero). “He is excited to get back to work and on the field with his teammates. Josh is grateful for the support he is receiving from his teammates, coaches, the Packers organization, and the greatest fans in the world. Since there are ongoing legal matters, he will not have any further comment.”
Jacobs was arrested in May, with court hearings initially being scheduled for November. A total of five charges – including a felony – were in place at first, but by the time his hearing took place last month Jacobs faced two misdemeanors. A plea of no contest was entered, bringing about clarity on the legal front. It remained unclear at that point how the league would operate with respect to discipline. Efforts to obtain footage of the incident involving Jacobs have proven unsuccessful, with Jacobs and the woman in the video attempting to block the NFL from reviewing it. The woman declined to speak to league during its investigation, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Given today’s news, the NFL seems to be setting up the announcement of a six-game suspension for both Cooper and Jacobs (that is, one which would cover the games both players have already missed). Jacobs is owed $11.5MM for this season, but a ban would require the forfeiture of some of that money. The three-time Pro Bowler is under contract through 2027.
Green Bay’s offense has struggled early this season, and the team ranks last in the league with an average of 60 rushing yards per game. Jacobs making his return should offer a notable boost on that front.
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