Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. suspended 8 video games following felony fees

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The NFL suspended Atlanta Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. for eight video games with out pay below the personal-conduct coverage, the league introduced Friday. Pearce faces felony fees stemming from a home dispute in February.

Per the league, the choice is remaining, and Pearce won’t attraction. He is eligible to play in preseason video games — starting with Friday night time’s opener towards the Denver Broncos — earlier than the suspension begins Aug. 30. Pearce can be reinstated on Nov. 2 and can be eligible to play Nov. 8 towards the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid.

“We were anticipating a suspension, so we’ve been pretty intentional about how we’ve planned for it,” Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski stated after Friday’s sport, a 27-7 loss.

Stefanski stated he wouldn’t touch upon the size of the suspension. “We trust the process that is in place. James continues to do everything in his power to be a great teammate and work very hard on himself in the building and outside the building.”

Pearce, who had two tackles within the sport, left the locker room earlier than it was open to reporters.

Pearce’s standing with the crew had been in query since a February incident with former girlfriend Rickea Jackson that resulted in three felony fees — for aggravated battery with a lethal weapon, fleeing the police and resisting an officer with violence — being filed towards him. According to an arrest affidavit filed within the case, Pearce adopted Jackson’s automotive for an prolonged interval, deliberately collided with each her entrance and rear bumpers and tried to dam her entry to a Doral (Fla.) police division constructing.

The fees can be dropped if Pearce completes a 12-month pretrial intervention program in Florida.

Pearce led all rookies with 10.5 sacks final yr after being chosen by the Falcons within the first spherical of the 2025 draft. He completed third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

He didn’t take part in any of the crew’s voluntary spring exercises however did attend minicamp and has been at each coaching camp apply.

The particulars of the league’s suspension course of make it attainable Pearce may miss greater than eight video games, as he’ll face restricted ramp-up time. For the primary half of his suspension interval, he can’t be within the crew constructing apart from to fulfill with the crew clinician for the only function of receiving psychological well being companies, in accordance with the league’s coverage. After that interval, Pearce can return to the constructing, attend crew conferences, meet with coaches and work out with power coaches, however he can’t apply.

Yale Sanford, Pearce’s lawyer, stated Pearce has “taken responsibility for his mental health” following the incident and expressed confidence that his shopper can full the pretrial intervention program.

“His eyes have been opened, and he will continue to learn and grow and be a better person,” Sanford instructed The Athletic in April. “He understands the ramifications of what just occurred. He knows what was on the line here. As a human being, he understands that he’s in a much better place.”

The phrases of the pretrial intervention program require Pearce to keep away from Jackson, endure remedy and “stay out of trouble,” Sanford stated.

The Falcons are already with out edge rusher Jalon Walker, the No. 15 choose in 2025, for the 2026 season after he suffered a torn ACL throughout coaching camp.