Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur stated his opinion of running back Josh Jacobs has not changed, despite the player's recent conviction for battering a woman.
"I know the guy. And I know the character of the guy," LaFleur said during a press conference Friday. "Unfortunately situations occur in life, and it’s just an unfortunate situation."
Jacobs, a three-time Pro Bowler, entered no-contest pleas to misdemeanor counts of battery and criminal damage to property on Thursday. The charges stemmed from an incident on Aug. 27, when authorities alleged Jacobs put his hands on his girlfriend and threw her to the ground, causing injury, at his Brown County, Wisconsin, home in May. Investigators also claimed video evidence showed Jacobs taking the woman's phone and appearing to damage it during the dispute.
When questioned by a judge about the probable cause section of the criminal complaint, Jacobs responded affirmatively. He has been on the commissioner's exempt list since Aug. 30, barring him from practicing or playing for the Packers.
LaFleur declined to comment further on Jacobs' roster status, stating, "I’m not going to get into any of this until the league completes their investigation."
During Thursday's court proceedings, Jacobs acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and stated he was taking "full responsibility" for his actions. His attorneys issued a statement indicating that "Josh has accepted responsibility for his conduct and resolved this matter."
Jacobs was sentenced to a $1,000 fine plus costs for the battery charge. The sentence for the criminal damage to property count was suspended. His legal team noted that the resolution was made against a backdrop of his "career long history of Josh’s community work while in the NFL, which has centered on the circumstances of his early life."