Atlanta Falcons rookie pass rusher James Pearce Jr. has become a major talking point in NFL circles in the past week.
Just days after his fans flooded social media to complain about his lack of support for Defensive Rookie of the Year, the Tennessee product found himself in Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Florida.
Per Fox Sports insider Andy Slater, he’s accused of intentionally crashing his car into his ex-girlfriend’s car multiple times. He was allegedly trying to stop her from getting to a police station. Moreover, Pearce also allegedly drove into a police officer in an effort to flee the scene, which led to a police chase. The organization released a statement on the concerning accusations.
Falcons react to James Pearce Jr’s arrest
“We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr. in Miami,” read the statement, per NFL.com. “We are in the process of gathering more information and will not have any further comment on an open legal matter at this time.”
Per jail records, the former first-round pick is facing charges of aggravated stalking and fleeing or eluding police with lights or siren and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Bond hasn’t been set at the time of writing.
The incident reportedly resulted from a dispute between him and his ex-girlfriend, Rickea Jackson, a forward for the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.
The Falcons took Pearce Jr. with the No. 26 pick to bolster their pass rush. He finished his first year in the league with a promising 26 tackles (17 solo), 16 QB hits, 10.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, five passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 17 games (three starts), according to Football Reference.
Now, his future in the league looks bleak.
