Atlanta Falcons edge James Pearce Jr. has been suspended for the first eight games of the 2026 NFL season for violating the league's personal conduct policy, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Friday afternoon. "Falcons DE James Pearce Jr. is being suspended eight regular-season games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy," wrote Schefter. "Pearce was arrested in February, in Doral, Florida, after a domestic dispute involving his ex-girlfriend, Los Angeles Sparks forward Rickea Jackson." Pearce led all rookies with 10.5 sacks last season and finished as a finalist for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. His absence is another major blow to a defense that just lost starting edge Jalon Walker for the season with a torn ACL.
ESPN source: Falcons DE James Pearce Jr. is being suspended eight regular-season games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Pearce was arrested in February, in Doral, Florida, after a domestic dispute involving his ex-girlfriend, Los Angeles Sparks forward Rickea… pic.twitter.com/4GE0LK10ak — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 14, 2026 The Falcons have been preparing for Pearce's suspension, signing veteran edge rushers Azeez Ojulari and Samson Ebukam to one-year deals in free agency. Both players have starting experience and should have no trouble filling in for Pearce and Walker in defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich's defensive scheme. "Whether a guy gets fined or hurt, there are always so many things at play at this level," Ulbrich recently said regarding Pearce's potential absence. "The guys that are here today are the ones we’re going to ride with and develop and feature. We’re just going to coach the guys we have the best we can and go from there." Pearce recently entered a one-year intervention program, which could result in all of his charges being dropped, according to a report from Daniel Flick of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Pearce's ex-girlfriend also reportedly dismissed her restraining order. "James Pearce Jr. accepted an offer from Miami-Dade County to participate in a state-issued intervention program, his attorney, Yale Sanford, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday," wrote Flick. "The program, once set for six months, has been upgraded to one year at the request of the state. Sanford also shared that WNBA player Rickea Jackson, Pearce’s ex-girlfriend, dismissed the permanent restraining order she once pursued." The Falcons signed veteran edge Cameron Sample to provide some depth, but we wouldn't rule out the team making another move. This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons EDGE James Pearce Jr. suspended by the NFL