Atlanta Falcons’ James Pearce Jr., a prominent edge rusher, will face an eight-game suspension at the start of the 2026 season due to a breach of the league’s personal conduct regulations, as declared by the league on Friday. The suspension stems from Pearce’s arrest in February after a domestic altercation with his former girlfriend and WNBA athlete, Rickea Jackson, in Doral, Florida. The charges against Pearce, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, eluding law enforcement, and misdemeanor stalking, may be dismissed if he complies with a pretrial intervention program entailing random drug screenings, maintaining distance from Jackson, and steering clear of legal issues for a year.
While the suspension will begin on August 30, Pearce remains eligible to partake in pre-season activities and games until that date. He can potentially return to action on November 2, post the Falcons’ Week 8 match against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Falcons are scheduled to face the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid, Spain, the subsequent week. The team’s pass-rushing unit has faced setbacks following Jalon Walker’s season-ending ACL injury, leaving players like Christian Harris, JD Bertrand, Samson Ebukam, Kendal Daniels, and Bralen Trice to fill the void. Additionally, Cameron Sample was recruited after Walker’s injury.
Atlanta made a strategic move in the 2025 draft by trading down to the 26th pick to secure Pearce, the former standout from Tennessee. Pearce played a pivotal role in enhancing the Falcons’ pass rush, leading the team with 10 1/2 sacks during his rookie campaign.
Apart from Pearce, the NFL handed out suspensions to three other players on the same day. Commanders’ Dorance Armstrong received a one-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, causing him to miss the season opener against Philadelphia on September 13. Armstrong, entering his ninth NFL season and third with Washington, had a limited playtime last season due to a knee ligament tear.
Furthermore, Tennessee Titans’ Nazeeh Johnson faced a six-game suspension for violating the performance-enhancing substances policy, while Buffalo Bills’ Phidarian Mathis received a three-game suspension for breaching the league’s substances of abuse policy. Both players have the opportunity to practice and compete with their teams until August 30, the deadline for NFL teams to finalize their 53-player rosters. Johnson may return for the Titans’ game against Cleveland on October 25, while Mathis could be back in action for Buffalo’s clash with New England on October 4.
Johnson, with three seasons of NFL experience, joined the Titans in July after playing for the Kansas City Chiefs. He battled injuries, including a shoulder issue and a torn ACL, limiting his appearances in previous seasons. Mathis, aged 28, featured in six games for the Bills last season after spending his initial years in the league with Washington.