Josh Jacobs Update: How Many More Games Will Packers RB Miss?

Josh Jacobs remains away from the Green Bay Packers as the NFL reviews his case. How many more games will the running back miss?

by Ayomide Adeduyite

Sep 24, 2026

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8)

Josh Jacobs will miss his third consecutive game for the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night as he remains on the NFL’s Commissioner Exempt List. The running back has been unavailable since the league placed him on the list Aug. 30, shortly after misdemeanor charges were filed against him stemming from a May incident. He has not been suspended by the NFL, meaning there is still no official number of additional games he will miss.

Jacobs pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property charges on Sept. 10. He was fined $1,000 plus court costs for the battery charge, while the property-damage charge can be dismissed after a year if he satisfies the conditions of his agreement, including counseling, restitution, supervision and avoiding contact with the victim.

When Is Josh Jacobs Eligible to Play?

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs, right, appears in a Brown County courtroom.

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Packers do not yet have a return date for Jacobs because the NFL’s investigation remains ongoing. He cannot practice or play while on the Commissioner Exempt List, although he continues to receive his salary. Any games missed while on the list can count toward a potential suspension if the NFL ultimately disciplines him.

The NFL’s standard punishment for a first domestic violence offense is a six-game suspension. However, that is not an automatic prediction of Jacobs’ punishment. The league can impose a shorter or longer suspension based on the facts uncovered during its investigation.

Jacobs has already missed Green Bay’s first three games, including Thursday night’s matchup with the Atlanta Falcons. If the NFL were to issue the standard six-game suspension and give him credit for the three games already missed on paid leave, he would have three additional games to serve. But the final number cannot be known until the NFL announces its discipline.

Judge Denies Request to Seal Josh Jacobs Records

The latest development could give the NFL access to evidence it wants to review before making that decision. ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported Thursday that Brown County District Court Judge Marc Hammer denied the victim’s request to permanently seal records in the case, including surveillance video tied to the May 23 incident at Jacobs’ Green Bay home.

Rather than permanently sealing the records, Hammer turned the matter back over to the Hobart/Lawrence police department, which is the custodian of the evidence. Any request to release the records will now be handled by the department on a case-by-case basis. Jacobs and the victim would have an opportunity to appear if the records are set to be released.

The video is of use to the NFL because the league wants to review it as part of its Personal Conduct Policy investigation. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said on Sept. 1 that he had not seen the video, while Green Bay has continued to express hope that Jacobs can return at some point this season.

In the meantime, Jacobs remains on the Commissioner Exempt List with no announced suspension or return date. His eventual availability will depend on the NFL’s disciplinary decision and how the league accounts for the games he has already missed.