Josh Jacobs will not be playing today when the Green Bay Packers face the New York Jets in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season. The star running back remains on the NFL’s Commissioner’s Exempt List while the league continues to review his situation.
Jacobs was placed on the exempt list on August 30 after being charged with misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property. He is not allowed to practice or play while he remains on the list, although he continues to receive his salary during this period.
The legal side of Jacobs’ situation has since been resolved after he pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charges, but that did not immediately change his status with the NFL. The league has said its review under the personal conduct policy remains ongoing, leaving the Packers without one of their most important offensive players.
How long is Josh Jacobs suspension?
There is still no official suspension length for Josh Jacobs. The NFL has not announced how many games he will be suspended, and Jacobs remains on the Commissioner’s Exempt List while the league determines its next step.
However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that a four-to-six-game suspension could be the range being discussed based on conversations with people around the league. That is only a projection at this point, not a final decision from the NFL.
There is an important factor that could shorten the number of additional games Jacobs has to miss once the suspension is announced. Time spent on the Commissioner’s Exempt List counts toward a subsequent suspension, meaning the games Jacobs has already missed could be credited as time served.
For example, if Jacobs ultimately receives a six-game suspension and spends three games on the exempt list before the NFL announces it, those three games could count toward the six-game penalty. In that scenario, he would only have three additional games to serve before becoming eligible to return.
That makes a return later in the season possible even if the NFL ultimately gives Jacobs a multi-game suspension. For now, though, there is no official timetable, and the Packers must continue preparing without him while the league completes its review.
