GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur says there are no plans for the team to release running back Josh Jacobs, who faces two misdemeanor charges stemming from what police have described as a physical confrontation with his girlfriend.
“I fully anticipate him being a member of our team,” LaFleur said Friday night after the Packers closed their preseason schedule with a 42-38 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
The Brown County (Wisconsin) District Attorney’s office filed misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property against Jacobs on Thursday. The charges arose from an incident that took place three months ago.
When he was asked about Jacobs’ potential availability for the Packers’ Sept. 13 season opener at Minnesota, LaFleur replied that “I can’t really comment on that because I don’t know.”
Jacobs was arrested May 26 after police were called to his home to investigate a disturbance, and he was released from jail the next day.
Jacobs’ lawyers — David Z. Chesnoff, Richard A. Schonfeld, and Clarence F. Duchac III — issued a statement Thursday acknowledging the charges and noting that they “do not include domestic violence.”
“The allegations will be addressed in court, and not in the media,” they said. “Mr. Jacobs respects the District Attorney’s office and the process it followed.”
The NFL has said it is monitoring the case. The Packers said they were aware of the charges and would continue to cooperate with the NFL.
Jacobs rushed for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. That followed a 2024 season in which Jacobs ran for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns while earning his third Pro Bowl selection.
Running backs behind Jacobs on Green Bay’s depth chart include MarShawn Lloyd, Pierre Strong Jr. and Chris Brooks.
Lloyd stayed healthy throughout this preseason, but injuries have caused the 2024 third-round pick to play just one game over the last two seasons. Strong spent last season on Green Bay’s practice squad but has 499 career yards rushing. Brooks ran for 106 yards on 27 carries last season while contributing primarily on special teams.
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Green Bay Packers' Josh Jacobs talks to Marshawn Lloyd before a preseason NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur talks after a preseason NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
DENVER (AP) — Sam Ehlinger capped a three-touchdown performance with an 88-yard strike to rookie tight end Justin Joly in the Denver Broncos' 34-6 rout of the Minnesota Vikings on Friday night in their preseason finale.
“Honestly, it felt like the ball was in the air for like 30 seconds, like I was waiting for it forever,” said Joly, a fifth-round pick from North Carolina State who blew past the deep safety, who passed him off at midfield as though he had help behind him.
He didn't.
“I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh! He’s wide open,'" Ehlinger recouted. "I was like, there has to be somebody around him. And luckily, there wasn't.”
Joly was just as nervous about finding himself so wide open.
“It's like an open layup in basketball,” he said, adding, “I saw it was Cover-1 and the safety dropped me, and I was like, ‘Go vertical and don’t get yourself covered.' You've just got to go back to fundamentals: catch the ball, tuck it, run and don't drop it at the 1.”
Ehlinger also directed a smooth two-minute drill that ended with a 20-yard TD toss to Jaleel McLaugilin just before halftime and connected with running back Cody Schrader on a 14-yard TD strike after relieving Jarrett Stidham, who led Denver to scores on his two drives.
Ehlinger finished 15 of 20 for 233 yards, three TDs and an interception.
Neither team played its starting quarterback and Minnesota (1-2) didn't even play backup J.J. McCarthy, who was beaten out by Kyler Murray in training camp and sustained a minor ankle injury last week against Baltimore.
With Bo Nix looking sharp against Green Bay a week earlier in his only preseason game action, the Broncos split snaps between Stidham and Ehlinger.
Nix was one of 30 Broncos who didn’t dress for the game, and one player who did, wide receiver/kick returner Marvin Mims Jr., left after hurting his right foot on the opening drive: “He's going to be fine. It's a bruise,” Denver coach Sean Payton said. “So we were really just more cautious with him.”
sustained a right foot injury on Denver’s opening drive. Mims recently returned from a lower leg injury that sidelined him much of training camp.
The biggest star for Denver (2-1) was Schrader, the third-year running back who rushed for 42 yards and caught six passes for 90 yards, including the touchdown grab that made it 27-6 and capped a 17-play, 85-yard drive in the second half.
Stidham led the Broncos to scores on both of his drives with a Wil Lutz field goal and a 1-yard TD run by fullback Adam Prentice staking Denver to a 10-0 lead before Kahlef Hailassie's interception of Ehlinger's pass set up the first of two field goals by Will Reichard.
After Reichard's 28-yarder made it 13-6, Ehlinger covered 65 yards in five plays and just over a minute with the payoff coming to McLaughlin on the running back's crossing route over the middle for a 20-6 Denver halftime lead.
Pass rusher Jonathon Cooper was one of Denver's game captains. Cooper faces a Monday arraignment on a felony strangulation charge in a domestic violence case that could result in a lengthy suspension from the NFL.
Vikings: LB Jacobs Roberts injured his left knee and WR Terrill Davis injured his right calf.
Broncos: CB Reese Taylor left with a concussion.
Vikings: Host the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 13.
Broncos: At the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 14.
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Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Denver Broncos running back Cody Schrader (25) runs from Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Cam'Ron Stewart (49) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Denver Broncos quarterback Sam Ehlinger (4) throws a pass as he is hit by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Bo Richter (98) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
