Atlanta Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Wednesday that James Pearce Jr. has not participated in the team’s voluntary offseason training sessions.
“I will tell you guys, James Pearce is not here,” Stefanski told reporters. “We’ve been in constant communication with his representation.”
The defensive player was taken into custody near Miami on February 7th following an altercation with his ex-girlfriend, WNBA athlete Rickea Jackson.
Pearce is currently facing three serious felony accusations: aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding law enforcement, and resisting an officer with violence. He also faces a misdemeanor charge for stalking.
Stefanski stressed that the current training sessions are not mandatory and declined to provide specifics about player attendance.
“It’s a voluntary program, so that’s up to each individual player to make those decisions,” the new Falcons head coach explained. “I would also add that we’ve had great discussions with his (Pearce’s) representation. I don’t want to get into the specifics of that.”
Among those participating in workouts is star running back Bijan Robinson, who received AP first-team All-Pro recognition after recording 2,298 yards from scrimmage and 11 total touchdowns in the 2025-26 campaign.
Robinson revealed he hasn’t communicated with Pearce since the arrest occurred.
“If he does come back, if he’s here in this building, I’m going to make sure that he’s all the way focused, all the way ready to go, make sure his mind is in the right place, so he can be at his best on and off the field,” Robinson stated.
Pearce’s future with Atlanta remains uncertain following his legal troubles. The organization’s leadership, featuring many new personnel this season, has maintained silence throughout the ongoing investigation.
“Obviously, we’re aware of the most recent articles and things that have come out regarding James Pearce,” Falcons General Manager Ian Cunningham commented in March. “Those are concerning, right, to say the least, but outside of that, I’ll just keep it just very similar to what we said at the combine. We’re not going to comment on an open legal matter here moving forward.”
During the 2025 season, Pearce topped the Falcons’ defensive statistics with 10.5 quarterback sacks. His additional contributions included 26 total tackles, five pass deflections, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Atlanta’s pass rush dramatically improved with Pearce’s presence, establishing a franchise record with 57 total sacks – an increase of 26 from the previous year.
