What is the NFL commissioner’s exempt list, and why is Josh Jacobs on it?

The long-running uncertainty surrounding Josh Jacobs’ status for the upcoming season appears to be nearing an end.
Updated on: Aug 31, 2026, 24:34:09 IST
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The long-running uncertainty surrounding Josh Jacobs’ status for the upcoming season appears to be nearing an end, with his potential suspension situation now taking shape.
The NFL is reportedly placing the Green Bay Packers running back on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, according to ESPN reporter Adam Schefter.
“ESPN sources: NFL is placing Packers RB Josh Jacobs on the commissioner exempt list,” Schefter tweeted on X Sunday.
What is the Commissioner's exempt list?
The Commissioner’s Exempt List is a special paid-leave designation that allows the NFL to temporarily remove a player from active competition while serious off-field legal or personal matters are under review.
Why has Josh Jacobs been placed on the exempt list?
Last week, the 28-year-old Green Bay Packers running back was formally charged with two misdemeanors — battery and criminal damage to property — according to Wisconsin court records.
The charges mean Jacobs could face legal consequences if convicted, including a potential jail sentence.
ESPN reported that the criminal complaint identifies both offenses as Class A misdemeanors. Under Wisconsin law, a conviction on either charge could result in a fine of up to $10,000, a prison term of up to nine months, or both.
The NFL’s personal conduct policy, along with its Collective Bargaining Agreement, allows for a minimum six-game suspension for a first domestic violence violation.
Jacobs set for court hearing
Jacobs was taken into custody on May 26 after Hobart/Lawrence Police were called to investigate a reported disturbance involving the Packers running back earlier that day.
He was initially booked into Brown County Jail on five counts. The allegations included felony strangulation, along with misdemeanor accusations of assault, criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct and intimidation of a victim.
The charges were connected to an incident reported on May 23, when officers were dispatched to a residence. Jacobs’ bond was set at $1,350, and he was released from custody the following day.
He is scheduled to appear in court for the first time on Nov. 17 as the legal case stemming from his offseason arrest continues.
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