Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs was arrested in northern Wisconsin on Tuesday and booked into the Brown County Jail, according to a press release.
Jacobs faces five charges stemming from a disturbance call that the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department responded to on May 23, 2026. The charges booked against him include:
- Battery – Domestic Abuse
- Criminal Damage to Property – Domestic Abuse
- Disorderly Conduct – Domestic Abuse
- Strangulation and Suffocation
The strangulation and suffocation charge is a felony, while the remaining three are misdemeanors, per jail records.
He was released from custody on Wednesday.
The Brown County DA’s office released a statement explaining why Jacobs walked without formal charges. There’s an important legal distinction here – the bar for making an arrest is “probable cause,” but actually charging someone requires evidence of a crime “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Based on the evidence currently available, the DA’s office says it isn’t ready to make a formal charging decision. Instead, it’s requested additional investigation. The case remains open.
Jacobs’ attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, denied all allegations on their client’s behalf, asking for “fairness and restraint while the judicial process takes its course.”
Both the NFL and the Packers responded with brief statements. The league said,
“We are aware of the report and have been in contact with the club.”
The Packers added that,
“As it is an ongoing legal situation, we will withhold further comment.”
This isn’t the first time Jacobs has had a run-in with police. Back in January 2021, he was booked in Las Vegas on suspicion of driving under the influence following a single-car accident. He was treated at a local hospital for injuries from the crash and released from custody that same day. The case ultimately resulted in a misdemeanor charge – failure to decrease speed or use due care – which was closed after he paid a fine.
Where Things Stand with the Packers
Jacobs is now in his seventh NFL season. He spent the first five years of his career with the Las Vegas Raiders before hitting free agency after the 2023 season. The Packers signed him to a four-year, $48 million contract – and he’s two years into that deal, with two years still remaining on it.
How the NFL and the Packers handle the situation from here – particularly under the league’s personal conduct policy – remains to be seen as the investigation continues.