Falcons' Pearce Suspended 8 Games After February Arrest
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- James Pearce Jr. has been suspended 8 games by the NFL for violating the league's personal conduct policy following his February arrest on domestic violence charges in Doral, Florida.
- The suspension begins Aug. 30, with Pearce eligible for reinstatement Nov. 2; he will be allowed to participate in all preseason activities, including games starting Friday night against the Denver Broncos.
- Pearce did not appeal the ban, which NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy confirmed is final, per the league's announcement.
- Rickea Jackson, Pearce's ex-girlfriend and a WNBA player, was the alleged victim in the Feb. 7 incident; Pearce allegedly used a vehicle to repeatedly ram her car in an effort to stop her from reaching a police station, then fled on foot after crashing.
- Pearce had faced felony charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing police, and resisting arrest, plus misdemeanor stalking, but entered a pretrial intervention program in May that could drop the charges if he stays clean for a year.
- Jackson wrote in a February protective order petition — later dropped in favor of the intervention program — that she was "in fear of my life" and believed "James will kill me" without court intervention.
- Pearce, the No. 26 pick in the 2025 draft, set a Falcons rookie record with 10.5 sacks last season and finished third in AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting; he has mostly worked with reserves during training camp.
Why it matters: Atlanta loses its top pass rusher for over half the regular season — eight games starting Aug. 30 — right as the 22-year-old was coming off a franchise rookie sack record, forcing the Falcons to lean on reserves at edge rusher while Pearce sits out until a potential Nov. 2 reinstatement.
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