DETROIT (AP) — Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs put up 91 yards and scored a touchdown in his season debut Sunday, his first time on the field since he pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges stemming from a May altercation with his then-girlfriend.
Jacobs didn't make a big impact in the running game, carrying 11 times for 36 yards, but he had five catches for 55 yards and a touchdown in the Packers' 20-17 loss to the Detroit Lions.
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Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) is tackled by Detroit Lions safety Chuck Clark (36) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Rey Del Rio)
Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) breaks up a pass intended for Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Rey Del Rio)
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) breaks a tackle by Detroit Lions cornerback Keith Abney II (6) during a touchdown reception in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes, left, breaks up a pass intended for Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Rey Del Rio)
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) celebrates after a touchdown reception during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
FILE - Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs works out during NFL football practice, June 9, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf, File)
“I thought he did a lot of good things,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “He made a spectacular play on the touchdown, and he sparked some nice things.”
The three-time Pro Bowler was recently removed from the commissioner’s exempt list, which had prevented him from playing in the first six games of the season or practicing with the team.
Green Bay's running game desperately needed a boost. Entering the game in Detroit, the Packers ranked last in the NFL in rushing yards and yards per carry.
They carried the ball 19 times for 60 yards against Detroit and had three red-zone opportunities in which they failed to score.
“We're definitely leaning heavily on the pass right now,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “We definitely have to get more balanced and that means finding our running game.”
Jacobs was contrite on Wednesday when he returned to practice and spoke to reporters for the first time since the altercation with his then-girlfriend, during which she said he threw her to the ground.
Jacobs declined to discuss specifics of his case, adding he hoped to use the situation as an opportunity to become a better person.
“Obviously, man, I’m remorseful and sorry for putting this team in this situation,” Jacobs said. “Sometimes when you go through life, situations occur and a four-second, three-second decision can alter your life, honestly.”
The NFL placed Jacobs on the exempt list on Aug. 30, shortly after charges were filed. In September, he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor counts of battery and criminal damage to property.
The league is still investigating the incident and could hand out more discipline.
“I thought I’d be playing sooner,” Jacobs said. “But, you know, the optics of everything, I understand the other side. For me, like I said, I’m just grateful to be able to play. It was one of them things where I didn’t want to sit the whole year and then figure it out. I’m just grateful to be back on the team and to be back playing.”
The Raiders drafted the former Alabama star with the No. 24 pick in 2019, and he signed with Green Bay as a free agent in 2024.
Jacobs ran for 7,803 yards and 74 touchdowns from his rookie year through last season and had 269 career catches for 2,072 yards and two scores.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) is tackled by Detroit Lions safety Chuck Clark (36) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Rey Del Rio)
Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) breaks up a pass intended for Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Rey Del Rio)
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) breaks a tackle by Detroit Lions cornerback Keith Abney II (6) during a touchdown reception in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes, left, breaks up a pass intended for Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Rey Del Rio)
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) celebrates after a touchdown reception during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
FILE - Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs works out during NFL football practice, June 9, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf, File)
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, was reelected Sunday in a result that provides relief to critics of widening U.S. influence in Latin America.
With 100% of the vote counted, Brazil’s electoral court announced that the soon to be 81-year-old Lula had a lead of nearly 4.4 million votes -- 51.8% of the total vote -- over opponent Flávio Bolsonaro. The announcement capped an evening of chaos at polling places across Brazil, following a last-minute decision to extend voting by two hours. That decision by a Supreme Court justice may trigger legal action by Bolsonaro.
His triumph bucks a trend in Latin America where increasing numbers of right-of-center presidential candidates allied with Trump have been winning. Lula’s victory leaves Mexico and Brazil, Latin America’s two most populous nations, with left-of-center leaders. It also positions Latin America’s largest economy, with a GDP of $2.6 trillion per year, to remain independent of the U.S., despite the pressure of increased tariffs imposed by Trump.
A video published by Lula’s campaign shows the veteran leader celebrating with First Lady Rosângela da Silva and allies after his runoff victory was confirmed by Brazil’s electoral court. Wearing star-shaped red glasses, he kissed his wife. Hundreds of his supporters began gathering on São Paulo’s main artery to celebrate the victory.
In Rio de Janiero, cars beeped their horns and a woman dressed in red — the color of Lula supporters — shouted “You lost! Cry harder!” to four men in yellow and green sipping beers, Bolsonaro's signature colors. A huge roar echoed in the street as the result was confirmed.
Rodrigo Valentim, a 51-year-old businessman and supporter of Bolsonaro, said that another Lula government would harm the economy. He pointed to financial markets’ positive reaction to the result of the first round, when Bolsonaro bested Lula.
“I don’t understand how people can vote for Lula,” he said. “The country is collapsing.”
Bolsonaro had yet to respond to Lula's apparent victory, which, if confirmed by electoral authorities, will give him his non-consecutive fourth term as president. The next term begins on Jan. 5, 2027.
The electoral court's announcement ended an evening of confusion at polling places after Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin ruled three minutes before the scheduled end of voting to keep polls open for two more hours, following requests by both candidates. Lula’s request came after issues with buses that provide transportation to polls in Sao Paulo and Salvador, two cities that tend to favor the incumbent. Bolsonaro’s request was due to heavy rains in Brazil’s south, where he is favored.
In Brasilia, volunteers who oversaw the vote count at a school debated whether they needed to stay after the announcement to extend voting, but most left 15 to 20 minutes after polls closed and they had given count information to electoral authorities. At a polling station in Rio de Janeiro, the voting machines had already been switched off minutes after polls were set to close and couldn’t be turned back on.
The decision delayed tallying the votes by two hours. It was unclear how many polling stations stayed open after the scheduled closing time.
Bolsonaro ally Nikolas Ferreira noted that Zanin, who made the decision, is Lula's former lawyer.
Bolsonaro bested Lula by more than 2.2 million votes in the first round of the election earlier this month. Sunday night's apparent victory by Lula marked the first time since Brazil’s military dictatorship ended in 1985 that the second-highest vote-getter in the first-round elections won the presidency.
Lula faced a tough reelection battle because of concerns about the cost of living and security. Bolsonaro made a tough-on-crime approach the cornerstone of his campaign and pledged to bring down food costs while Lula, trying to lure undecided voters, has invested in costly incentives.
Both have been hit by corruption suspicions involving family members and allies, with Bolsonaro implicated in a sprawling scandal rocking Brazil. Lula previously spent more than a year in prison on corruption convictions that were eventually annulled.
This will likely be the last victory of the veteran leader’s political career. Lula began his political career in the 1970s as a union leader. He then helped found the Workers’ Party, which he represented as a presidential candidate three times until he finally won it in 2002. He was reelected four years later and was succeeded by one of his cabinet ministers, Dilma Rousseff, in 2010. She was reelected in 2014.
Rousseff was impeached for accounting maneuvering in 2016 amid a sprawling corruption probe, which also ensnared Lula. He tried to run for president again in 2018 but was jailed in March after being convicted.
Lula was released from prison after 580 days and saw Brazil’s Supreme Court annul his sentence after police found messages that showed the judge who convicted him was biased. He quickly became one of former President Jair Bolsonaro’s biggest critics and narrowly beat him in 2022.
Since he lost the first round, Lula reorganized his campaign, appealed to young voters, put millions of Brazilians on the streets to defend democratic values and his legacy, raised fears of another Bolsonaro administration and boosted several government initiatives.
He joins Trump and Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega — all aged 80 — as the oldest presidents in the Americas.
Savarese reported from Sao Paulo. Brigida reported from Brasilia.
Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Supporters of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva celebrate after he won the presidential runoff in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Lucas Landau)
Supporters of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva celebrate after he won the presidential runoff in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Lucas Landau)
Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro flashes a victory sign as he arrives in Brasilia, Brazil, on the day of the presidential runoff election, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection, waves after voting in the presidential runoff in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro and his wife Fernanda Bolsonaro give a thumbs during the runoff presidential election in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Silvia Izuierdo)
People walk along the beach during the presidential runoff in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Lucas Landau)
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection, waves after voting in the presidential runoff in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection, wears glasses given to him by a supporter after voting in the presidential runoff in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Voters line up at a polling station during the presidential runoff in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection, displays a Brazilian flag before voting in a presidential runoff in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
Voters line up at a polling station during the presidential runoff in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Voters line outside a polling station up during the presidential runoff in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
A supporter of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection, lines up at a polling station during a presidential runoff in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro and his wife Fernanda Bolsonaro give a thumbs during the runoff presidential election in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Voters wait to cast their ballots during a presidential runoff in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Lucas Landau)
Red T-shirts depicting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, and yellow T-shirts depicting opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro hang for sale outside a building ahead of Brazil's presidential runoff election in Autazes, Amazonas state, Brazil, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros)
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, right, who is running for reelection, and his running mate Geraldo Alckmin raise their arms in unison at the end of their final campaign rally, a day ahead of the presidential runoff election in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, center, leaves after his final campaign rally a day ahead of the presidential runoff election in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Supporters of opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro cheer during his final campaign rally a day ahead of the presidential runoff election in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Lucas Landau)
A girl standing on a man's shoulders reaches out amid a crowd of supporters of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, during his final campaign rally, a day ahead of the presidential runoff election in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
