Packers' Josh Jacobs vows to 'learn from this mistake' amid NFL investigation

Green Bay Packers star running back Josh Jacobs spent the first six weeks of the 2026 season on the commissioner's exempt list after he reached a plea deal related to his May arrest in September. 

Jacobs is now on track to play for the 4-2 Packers at the rival Detroit Lions (3-2) this coming Sunday. On Wednesday, he participated in his first media session since his arrest. 

Josh Jacobs "remorseful and sorry for putting this team in this situation"

"I'm remorseful and sorry for putting this team in this situation," a seemingly emotional Jacobs said, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN. "Sometimes when you go through life, situations occur and a four-second, three-second decision can alter your life, honestly. But with that being said, still a human being, man, still trying to learn, still trying to grow from the whole process. I know for some people this might be a stain on me and my character. I feel like I don't have to really speak on my character. A lot of people that know me in this locker room or that's been around me, I'll let them do that. But for me, man, I'm just trying to come back in here and play ball, learn from this mistake and move forward."

As noted by Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk, Jacobs pleaded no contest to charges of battery and criminal destruction of property regarding an incident involving Jacobs and a woman said to be his ex-girlfriend. The NFL is still investigating the matter, and he could eventually be suspended for a personal conduct policy violation. 

The six games he missed while on paid leave would be credited toward any ban he receives. 

"I think six games was a lot, honestly, but that's not really up to me to decide," Jacobs said about the contests he missed. "I'm grateful to be playing, so that's not even something that I'm like arguing or petitioning with. I'm just happy to be back on the team."

What Josh Jacobs learned while not being able to play

ESPN stats show that the Packers began Thursday ranked last in the league for the season with an average of 59.8 rushing yards per game. Thus, it's understandable that Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love said on Wednesday that the Packers will "give Josh as many touches as he needs" to "get him rolling." 

"I would say obviously you never want to be in this situation, but just me being honest, for my life, it was probably one of the best things to ever happen to me," Jacobs added. "I say that because it gave me a chance to sit down and reevaluate what's important and what I want my life to look like, and what do I want people to know me for. When they think of me, what are they going to say? Another thing that it showed me, man, was the people that were in my corner. A lot of people I didn't even know or even expect to be in my corner, they showed up. So that was huge for me. It just gave me more appreciation, more love, honestly, for this organization and this team."