Green Bay Packers star running back Josh Jacobs was taken into custody Tuesday on five criminal charges stemming from a weekend domestic incident, including a felony count of strangulation and suffocation.
According to Hobart/Lawrence Police Chief Michael Renkas, officers responded to a disturbance call involving Jacobs on Saturday morning at 8:37 a.m. Jacobs was subsequently arrested and taken to Brown County Jail facing charges of strangulation and suffocation, battery-domestic abuse, criminal damage to property-domestic abuse, disorderly conduct-domestic abuse and intimidation of a victim.
“This remains an active and ongoing investigation,” Renkas stated. “No further information will be released at this time.”
Court records show the strangulation charge carries felony status while the remaining four counts are classified as misdemeanors.
A legal team representing Jacobs — attorneys David Chesnoff, Richard Schonfeld and Clarence Duchac — released a statement defending their client.
“Josh vehemently denies the allegations, and this matter is in the early stages of investigation with important evidence that has not yet been made public,” the lawyers stated. “We ask for fairness and restraint while the judicial process takes its course.”
The arrest involves Green Bay’s primary ball carrier, who accumulated 929 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in the previous season. His performance followed a 2024 campaign where he gained 1,329 yards and scored 15 times while earning his third Pro Bowl recognition.
Jacobs was the sole Packers player to reach 200 rushing yards last season. Emanuel Wilson, who finished second in team rushing statistics, departed for the Seattle Seahawks during the offseason.
The team launched organized team activities Tuesday, with head coach Matt LaFleur scheduled to meet with media Wednesday.
“We are aware of the matter involving Josh Jacobs,” a team representative stated. “As it is an ongoing legal situation, we will withhold further comment.”
League spokesperson Brian McCarthy confirmed that “we are aware of the report and have been in contact with the club.”
Before joining Green Bay, Jacobs played five seasons with the Raiders, earning All-Pro recognition and leading the NFL with 1,653 rushing yards in 2022 while in Las Vegas.
Throughout his seven-year professional career, he has accumulated 7,803 rushing yards and 74 touchdowns. Among current players, only Baltimore’s Derrick Henry with 122 and Buffalo’s Josh Allen with 79 have more career rushing touchdowns.
