NFL Expands Probe of Josh Jacobs After New Police Records Surface

The National Football League announced on Saturday that it will review new allegations against Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs. The league stated it will examine claims of physical and verbal abuse that emerged from a public records release by the Hobart/Lawrence Police Department.

The police department released the documents on Friday night in response to a public records request. The records detail three separate allegations of abuse by Jacobs, dating back to April 2021. The women involved came forward after learning of Jacobs' arrest in May regarding a separate domestic violence incident.

Jacobs' legal team, represented by attorneys David Z. Chesnoff, Richard A. Schonfeld, and Clarence F. Duchac III, pushed back against the timing of the release. In a statement, they noted that the Brown County District Attorney's office had held the uncorroborated allegations for months. The defense argued that prosecutors conducted their own investigation and determined that only two misdemeanor charges were warranted. Jacobs pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property.

A 129-page incident report describes the May 2021 event in detail. The accuser told police that Jacobs attempted to strangle or suffocate her on two occasions. She described his demeanor as enraged and said she feared for her life. The report states that Jacobs slammed her to the garage floor, causing a head injury and temporary loss of consciousness.

Police withheld specific surveillance footage from the garage due to lawsuits from both Jacobs and the accuser. The department explained that it would have released the video with the victim's body pixelated if not for the legal restrictions. The release also included body camera and dash camera footage from Jacobs' arrest on May 26.

During the arrest, Jacobs told officers he did not have identification and had already handed his phone to his lawyers. After being read his rights, he asked questions about the legal process. He told the arresting officer that he felt the situation was unfair if he was legally innocent. The officer responded that the charges were referrals and not set in stone.

Police also interviewed two friends of the accuser who spoke with her by phone and text after the incident. Their statements mirrored the accuser's account, though neither friend was present during the event. The NFL said its investigation has remained open while it reviews the new materials.