Atlanta Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. has been suspended for the first eight games of the regular season after the NFL ruled he violated the league’s personal conduct policy.
The decision stems from his February arrest on domestic violence-related charges.
The league announced the ruling on Friday (August 14). Pearce can still take part in all preseason practices and games. Notably, his suspension begins on August 30. He becomes eligible for reinstatement on November 2. The Falcons open the preseason at home against the Denver Broncos.
Suspension timeline and league decision
James Pearce, 22, will miss the first two months of the 2026 regular season. The NFL cited the personal conduct policy in its decision. The league did not release further details beyond confirming the length of the ban and the start date.
Because the suspension does not begin until the end of August, Pearce remains available for the remainder of training camp and the preseason schedule. This gives the Falcons some flexibility as they evaluate their pass-rush group.
February incident involving WNBA player Rickea Jackson
The case traces back to February 7 in Doral, Florida. Police say Pearce allegedly used his vehicle to repeatedly ram the car driven by his ex-girlfriend, WNBA player Rickea Jackson. Authorities said he tried to stop her from reaching a police station during a domestic dispute.
Officers arrived after Jackson called for help. Pearce fled in his vehicle, crashed it, and then ran on foot. He was also accused of resisting arrest.
Jackson later filed a petition for a protective order. In that petition, she wrote that she was “in fear of my life” during the February 7 incident and that if the court did not intervene she believed “James will kill me.” She later dropped the petition after Pearce entered a legal program.
Charges and pretrial intervention outcome
James Pearce Jr. faced felony charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing police, and resisting arrest, plus a misdemeanor stalking charge.
In May, he entered a pretrial intervention program. Under the terms of the program, the charges will be dropped if he stays out of legal trouble for one year, passes random drug tests, and has no contact with Jackson.
The arrangement allowed Pearce to avoid a criminal trial while still facing league discipline under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
James Pearce’s status with the Falcons
James Pearce Jr. was away from the team for most of the spring but returned for mandatory minicamp and has been present throughout training camp. Coaches have mostly used him with the reserves even though he was the Falcons’ top pass rusher a year ago.
Selected 26th overall in the 2025 draft, Pearce recorded 10.5 sacks as a rookie, setting a franchise record for first-year players.
The league’s ruling closes the immediate chapter on the off-field matter while leaving the on-field impact for the Falcons to manage in the coming weeks.