Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs is facing an indefinite absence after fracturing a finger that will require surgery.
Jacobs had already missed the opening six games of the NFL season following his arrest over a May dispute involving his then-girlfriend.
The NFL placed him on the commissioner exempt list on August 30, preventing him from practicing or playing, before he returned to the Packers lineup against the Detroit Lions last month.
His comeback lasted only three games, however. Jacobs injured his finger during Sunday’s emphatic victory over the New England Patriots.
He managed just four carries for five yards before leaving the game. The injury appeared to happen when his ring finger became caught in an opposing player’s facemask.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed Monday that Jacobs will undergo surgery and remain sidelined indefinitely. Green Bay has not ruled out placing him on injured reserve, a move that would require him to miss at least four games.
Packers running back Josh Jacobs is set for an indefinite absence after injuring his finger
Jacobs pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property charges
Jacobs remains under investigation by the NFL through its Personal Conduct Policy after pleading no contest to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property charges stemming from the May incident.
The Packers have recently reaffirmed their commitment to Jacobs, despite police records alleging that multiple women have accused the running back of abuse since his battery arrest.
The 28-year-old was arrested after allegedly attacking his live-in girlfriend on May 23. Authorities said he threw her to the ground and damaged her phone.
In September, Jacobs entered a no-contest plea to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property charges. The agreement allowed him to avoid prison, provided he paid a $1,000 fine and court costs. If he completes several conditions over a 12-month period, the property-damage charge can be dismissed.
Hobart/Lawrence police say they possess video evidence that supports the accuser’s account. Although a recent court decision authorized the department to release surveillance footage from a garage, the video has not been made public.
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The department did recently publish partially redacted records detailing further allegations against Jacobs, adding to uncertainty surrounding his future.
‘We will review these allegations as part of the investigation which has remained open,’ the league said in a statement.
The latest claims include allegations that Jacobs became aggressive toward women who rejected his sexual advances during his time with the Las Vegas Raiders. Several women also alleged that he took or destroyed their phones, echoing details described by his most recent accuser to Hobart/Lawrence police.
Jacobs has denied the new allegations. Speaking to reporters, he said he must ‘just roll with the punches’ while allowing the investigation to run its course.
‘It’s just one of those things where anything can be said and people are just gonna run with it, and I can’t really change how you feel. At the end of the day, I know what I have, on my part, so it’s just one of those things where it’s unfortunate, especially for me, just being in this position.
The Green Bay running back fractured his finger during Sunday’s win over New England
Packers coach Matt LaFleur confirmed that Jacobs will undergo surgery
‘You’re like, alright, it’s something else, and now it’s something else, and now it’s something else, and just trying to deal with it and process it and everything is just one of those things where you’ve kind of just got to let it be.
‘Eventually, it will come a time where we can put out facts, and things like that, and we’ll see if it even matters to do that when that time comes. If not, you’ve got to just roll with the punches.’
When asked whether he was concerned about receiving another NFL suspension, Jacobs said: ‘No, not at all. Like I said, with all the evidence we have and they have, at this point, it’s not one of those things where I’m sitting back on my hands like, ‘OK, am I going to play this week’.
‘I kind of already know what it is, so it’s really just up to them to make their final decision. But I’m not worried about feeling like I’m going to miss any more time than I already have.’
Attorneys for Jacobs say they possess a ‘substantial body of tangible evidence’ that challenges the battery allegations made against him by multiple women.
