Atlanta Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. has received a significant suspension from the NFL stemming from his offseason arrest.
The NFL announced Friday that Pearce has received an eight-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. The suspension stems from his offseason arrest following a domestic dispute with ex-girlfriend Rickea Jackson of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.
ESPN source: Falcons DE James Pearce Jr. is being suspended eight regular-season games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Pearce was arrested in February, in Doral, Florida, after a domestic dispute involving his ex-girlfriend, Los Angeles Sparks forward Rickea… pic.twitter.com/4GE0LK10ak
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 14, 2026
The Falcons had likely been bracing themselves for this news since February. Details of Pearce’s arrest in Florida were quite disturbing, and he was accused of intentionally rear-ending Jackson’s vehicle to prevent her from reaching a police station. He was later charged with three felonies and a misdemeanor, though one of the felony charges was later dropped. The remaining charges are still pending.
Pearce, 22, was the 25th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He collected 10.5 sacks as a rookie and had been expected to be a key part of Atlanta’s pass rush this season.
The Falcons are quite thin on the edge now, as they lost another key player to a season-ending injury as well.
