Atlanta Falcons rookie James Pearce Jr. has been arrested following an alleged domestic dispute with WNBA star Rickea Jackson, ESPN reported.
On Saturday (Feb. 7), the 22-year-old NFL linebacker was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center after police in Doral, Florida, received reports of a domestic dispute between a man and a woman.
Pearce allegedly fled from the police before crashing his vehicle.
He’s facing charges for two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, one count of aggravated stalking, and one count of fleeing or eluding police with lights or sirens. No bond was set for him at the time that he was arrested.
The Atlanta Falcons addressed the situation in a statement to the media.
“We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr. in Miami,” the statement reads. “We are in the process of gathering more information and will not have any further comment on an open legal matter at this time.”
Pearce was picked by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Earning 10.5 sacks during his rookie year, which was the most by a Falcons rookie since Micah Parsons in 2021, he was the runner-up for defensive rookie of the year.
During the 2025 NFL Draft, clips of Jackson seated next to Pearce sparked speculation that the two were dating.
Jackson, a 24-year-old forward for the Los Angeles Sparks, later joked that the woman in the video was her “doppelganger.”
If you are a victim of domestic abuse or want more information on domestic violence and resources for victims, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline online or at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
