Reports out of the NFL indicate that running back Josh Jacobs of the Green Bay Packers is expected to come off the Commissioner Exempt list when Monday arrives. Under the current timeline, Week 7 would mark the point at which Jacobs becomes available to take the field again.
A lawsuit Jacobs put forward sought to prevent disclosure of police records tied to the battery matter in which a no-contest plea had resulted in a guilty finding toward the end of September. His lawsuit against the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department contends that turning over certain documents would put a crime victim's personal details at risk and lay bare protective arrangements tied to his residence.
Filed with a court, the legal petition seeks an order barring the department from disclosing footage or photographs showing the inside of Jacobs' garage, along with details about how the space is arranged, what it holds, and what security measures protect it. According to the complaint, Jacobs received word from the department on Oct. 5 that a decision had been reached permitting release of at least a portion of the records tied to a May 23 investigation.
Among the materials potentially covered are police reports, audio or visual recordings, photographs, statements from witnesses, and any evidence stored or transmitted in digital form. Requests for the documents arrived from several individuals on Sept. 25 and in the days that followed.
In the filing, Jacobs urges the court to keep unredacted documents under seal and to direct the department to withhold materials entirely where partial redaction would leave protected information exposed. Access to documents connected to the case remains on hold at the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department, with their disclosure blocked pending the outcome of ongoing legal proceedings.
The information comes from a letter that Hobart-Lawrence Police Chief Michael Renkas made available after a news outlet filed a public records request. After wrapping up its review, the department found that a portion of the requested records could be made available, though only in redacted form. Upon completing the state-mandated notification process for individuals named in those files, lawyers acting on their behalf put the department on notice that court intervention would be pursued to halt any release of the records.
The department noted that a temporary pause on releasing the documents is required by law during the statutory waiting period and any associated court proceedings, and that this pause does not amount to a denial of the public records request. NFL chief spokesperson Brian McCarthy conveyed that the personal conduct policy review remains ongoing and that the league would not be offering additional comment. Officials indicated that records would be made available at the earliest point permitted by law, with updates to follow as the legal process moves forward.
Pending any additional findings, the probe stays active and the NFL retains authority to impose further penalties.
Toward the end of September, a request to place video footage and related materials under permanent seal was turned down by a judge. A no-contest plea was entered by Jacobs. That material was handed off to the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department, which now holds responsibility for evaluating any future requests tied to those records. Each of the preceding requests was turned down.
Lawyers representing the woman Jacobs had been in a relationship with had previously noted, in a written statement, that she wanted to keep details of the matter out of public view — a position tied, at least in part, to Jacobs having entered a no-contest plea to two misdemeanor counts in the related criminal case. A guilty plea to charges of battery and property damage was entered in the case.
A sealing order covering the case evidence was put in place by Brown County Judge Marc Hammer on a temporary basis. On the battery count, Jacobs received a $1,000 fine from Hammer. A deferred judgment on the criminal damage to property count was accepted by Jacobs. Provided he refrains from further offending, maintains no contact with the victim, remains under CJS supervision throughout the coming year, finishes a battery intervention programme, and meets his restitution obligation, the charge stands to be dropped at the end of that period.
Video footage obtained from Jacobs' home formed a central part of the prosecution's case, with the criminal complaint stating that the recording supports key portions of what the victim described. Charges filed against Jacobs allege that he pushed his girlfriend onto the floor and broke her phone during an altercation at his residence on 23 May.
