It’s been almost six months since James Pearce Jr.’s arrest. On Friday, the Atlanta Falcons defensive end finally learned the exact price of that arrest, thanks to an eight-game suspension stripping him of well over six figures in salary.
“James Pearce Jr.’s 8-game suspension from the #Falcons will cost him $446,664 in base salary,” Spotrac posted on X. Atlanta can also recoup $982,528 of signing bonus per the conduct violation. Additionally, the guarantee on the remaining $6.65M through 2028 is now voided.”
The NFL announced Friday that Pearce will sit out the first eight games of 2026 after he was found to have violated its personal-conduct policy.
The good news, if you can call it that, is he won’t miss everything. Pearce can still take part in preseason games and all team activities right up until the suspension officially kicks in on August 30. He’ll be eligible for reinstatement by November 2, just in time for Atlanta’s matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid.
The suspension dates back to February, when Pearce was arrested near Miami following a domestic dispute with his ex-girlfriend, WNBA player Rickea Jackson. In April, Pearce had agreed to a six-month pretrial intervention program, and if he sticks to the terms, the charges could eventually be dropped.
It’s a rough turn for a guy who could have had a great Year 2 this season. Pearce racked up 10.5 sacks as a rookie last year, good enough to make him a finalist for AP Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Atlanta clearly believed in him too. The Falcons traded up in the 2025 NFL Draft to pick him 26th overall. Pearce inked a four-year deal worth $16.7 million.
The timing is bad for Atlanta’s defense. With pass rusher Jalon Walker already out for the season because of a torn ACL, losing Pearce for the first two months only deepens the hole up front.
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