Atlanta Falcons edge James Pearce Jr. has been suspended for the first eight games of the 2026 NFL season for violating the league's personal conduct policy, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Friday afternoon.
"Falcons DE James Pearce Jr. is being suspended eight regular-season games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy," wrote Schefter. "Pearce was arrested in February, in Doral, Florida, after a domestic dispute involving his ex-girlfriend, Los Angeles Sparks forward Rickea Jackson."
Pearce led all rookies with 10.5 sacks last season and finished as a finalist for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. His absence is another major blow to a defense that just lost starting edge Jalon Walker for the season with a torn ACL.
The Falcons have been preparing for Pearce's suspension, signing veteran edge rushers Azeez Ojulari and Samson Ebukam to one-year deals in free agency. Both players have starting experience and should have no trouble filling in for Pearce and Walker in defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich's defensive scheme.
"Whether a guy gets fined or hurt, there are always so many things at play at this level," Ulbrich recently said regarding Pearce's potential absence. "The guys that are here today are the ones we're going to ride with and develop and feature. We're just going to coach the guys we have the best we can and go from there."
#schefter
"Falcons DE James Pearce Jr. is being suspended eight regular-season games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy," wrote Schefter. "Pearce was arrested in February, in Doral, Florida, after a domestic dispute involving his ex-girlfriend, Los Angeles Sparks forward Rickea Jackson."
Pearce led all rookies with 10.5 sacks last season and finished as a finalist for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. His absence is another major blow to a defense that just lost starting edge Jalon Walker for the season with a torn ACL.
The Falcons have been preparing for Pearce's suspension, signing veteran edge rushers Azeez Ojulari and Samson Ebukam to one-year deals in free agency. Both players have starting experience and should have no trouble filling in for Pearce and Walker in defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich's defensive scheme.
"Whether a guy gets fined or hurt, there are always so many things at play at this level," Ulbrich recently said regarding Pearce's potential absence. "The guys that are here today are the ones we're going to ride with and develop and feature. We're just going to coach the guys we have the best we can and go from there."
#schefter
8 days ago
