Friday marked a significant day for the NFL, as Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs and Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper found out they are being removed from the Commissioner’s Exempt List, which is, well, kind of like a “get out of jail free” card for them.
Both athletes had been sidelined at the onset of their teams’ seasons—Cooper for six games and Jacobs as he approaches his sixth missed game this Sunday—due to being on the Commissioner’s list tied to domestic abuse allegations and ongoing litigation.
Cooper is set to return immediately, making him eligible for Denver’s Week 7 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, as the Broncos have already completed their Week 6 game.
On the other hand, Jacobs will be off the list after the Packers wrap up their Sunday night game against the Dallas Cowboys. He’ll be ready to play in the Packers’ Week 7 game against the Detroit Lions.
So, is everything resolved?
Not quite.
Both players, who were arrested during the offseason related to domestic abuse charges involving their girlfriends, are still under investigation by the league.
If new information surfaces about either player’s situations this offseason, they could face additional consequences. That little gray area likely presents a bigger problem for Cooper than for Jacobs.
You might be wondering why that is.
Well, Jacobs managed to strike a plea deal on September 10, which apparently settled the criminal case against him. He entered a no-contest plea to two misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property related to an incident with his ex.
Jacobs was fined $1,000, ordered to attend counseling, pay restitution for the property damage, and he is required to have no contact with the victim. If he meets these conditions over the next year, the charge related to property damage will be dismissed.
Contrarily, Cooper’s situation is more precarious because he has yet to go to trial. The allegations against him imply a higher level of violence compared to what Jacobs faced.
Cooper was placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List following two domestic violence-related arrests in June 2026. The first arrest stemmed from a dispute with his then-girlfriend concerning suspicions of cheating. In that case, both were arrested, and Cooper initially faced a criminal mischief charge.
However, he faced further trouble when he allegedly violated a protective order, resulting in additional charges—second-degree assault by strangulation, third-degree assault, harassment, and violating the protective order.
Cooper has pleaded not guilty to these charges, and a pretrial hearing is set for February, with a trial tentatively scheduled for March. Depending on the trial’s outcome, he could be looking at another suspension at the beginning of the 2027 NFL season under the league’s Personal Conduct Policy.
