James Pierce Jr., a standout player for the Falcons, is set to miss nearly half of the upcoming NFL season following an incident earlier this year involving a domestic dispute with his ex-girlfriend, WNBA athlete Rikea Jackson.
Reportedly, Pierce has been suspended for 8 games by ESPN due to a breach of the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
It remains unclear if the 22-year-old intends to file an appeal.
His suspension follows accusations from six months ago when Jackson, a former player for the Los Angeles Sparks now with the Chicago Sky, alleged that Pierce threatened her while they were on the road in Florida.
According to police reports, after Jackson ended their relationship, Pierce supposedly chased her in a Lamborghini SUV and “intentionally crashed into the rear of her vehicle.”
While attempting to escape, Jackson reportedly maneuvered away, but police indicated that Pierce “deliberately collided head-on with her vehicle.”
Authorities arrived shortly afterward and ordered Pierce to the ground, but he did not comply, as documented in the incident report.
There were multiple attempts by Pierce to evade police, first by car and then on foot after crashing into another vehicle, but he was ultimately detained.
Pierce faced several felony charges from the incident, such as aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking, and fleeing from law enforcement.
However, by April, he struck a deal with Florida prosecutors to resolve the matter.
Pierce’s attorney, Jacob Nunez, stated that he was enrolled in a pretrial intervention program, which would result in the charges being dismissed if he adhered to all the program’s requirements without any violations.
Despite the suspension looming, reports suggest that the Falcons maintained Pierce on their roster this summer.
Last season, he played in 17 games, making an impressive 10 and a half sacks during his rookie year.
