National Sports

Packers Jacobs’ court date moved up to next week

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs’ initial court appearance on two misdemeanor charges stemming from a May altercation with his girlfriend has been moved up two months and now will take place next week.

Jacobs’ hearing originally was scheduled for Nov. 17. The hearing now is set for Thursday, three days before the Packers open the season at Minnesota.

The NFL has placed Jacobs on the commissioner’s exempt list, which prevents the three-time Pro Bowl running back from playing or practicing but allows him to keep receiving a paycheck. The NFL made that move Sunday, three days after Brown County (Wisconsin) District Attorney David Lasee announced that Jacobs was being charged with battery and criminal damage to property.

Upon request and with the club’s permission, players on the commissioner’s exempt list may be allowed at the facility for meetings, individual workouts, therapy and rehabilitation and other non-football activities.

The NFL is investigating Jacobs’ situation and he could be suspended by the league. Any games he misses while on the exempt list would count toward his suspension, but he would have to repay the money he earned during that time.

Jacobs’ lawyers -- David Z. Chesnoff, Richard A. Schonfeld and Clarence F. Duchac III -- have noted that the move to the commissioner’s exempt list “is not a final determination.” They added that Jacobs “looks forward to his return to the team and the NFL.”

Jacobs was arrested May 26, three days after Hobart-Lawrence police officers came to his home to investigate a disturbance. Police said Jacobs’ girlfriend told them she had a lump on her head as a result of Jacobs’ actions.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said this week that the team hadn’t seen video footage from a surveillance camera system in the garage where the incident was alleged. He expressed hope that Jacobs would be available to play at some point this season.

Jacobs is coming off a 2025 season in which he rushed for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns. The Packers don’t have any other running backs who ran for more than 106 yards last year.

Green Bay acquired 2025 third-round pick Kaleb Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday to join a running back room that also includes 2024 third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks. Green Bay has Pierre Strong Jr. on its practice squad.