Falcons’ James Pearce Jr. Arrested in Florida on Multiple Felony Charges
Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker James Pearce Jr., one of the NFL’s rising defensive stars, was arrested Saturday in Florida on multiple felony charges, including two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. He also faces charges of aggravated stalking and fleeing or eluding law enforcement with lights and sirens, according to the Doral Police Department.
Police responded to a reported dispute between a man and a woman in Doral. Pearce allegedly fled the scene and was pursued by officers before crashing his vehicle.
He was taken into custody and booked at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. As of now, no bail has been set.
The woman involved in the incident has been identified by authorities as Los Angeles Sparks forward Rickea Jackson, who is known to be in a relationship with Pearce. The details of the dispute and the nature of the charges are still emerging, and the legal process will play out in the coming days and weeks.
Pearce, the Falcons’ first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft (No. 26 overall), was a player Atlanta aggressively moved up to get-and for good reason. In his rookie season, he quickly made his presence felt. With 10.5 sacks, 17 solo tackles, 10 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery over 17 games, Pearce finished third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting behind Carson Schwesinger and Nick Emmanwori.
His explosiveness off the edge and ability to disrupt opposing quarterbacks made him one of the bright spots on a Falcons defense undergoing a major transition. Under new head coach Kevin Stefanski, Pearce was viewed as a foundational piece for the franchise’s future.
The Falcons released a brief statement acknowledging the situation: “We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr., in Miami,” a team spokesperson said. “We are in the process of gathering more information and will not have any further comment on an open legal matter at this time.”
This is a developing situation, and while Pearce’s on-field talent is undeniable, the off-field allegations now cast a shadow over what had been a promising start to his NFL career. The Falcons-and the league-will be watching closely as more details come to light.