Falcons' James Pearce Jr. agrees to enter pretrial intervention program to resolve 3 felony charges
ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Falcons edge rusher James Pearce Jr. has agreed to enter a pretrial intervention program which his attorneys say will allow him to resolve three felony charges stemming from what police called a domestic dispute on Feb. 7 with his ex-girlfriend Rickea Jackson, a WNBA player.
“Mr. Pearce Jr. will be entering a six-month diversion program.
Upon completion of the six months without violation, the state will dismiss all felony and misdemeanor charges,” one of Pearce’s attorneys, Jacob Nunez, said Thursday in a statement provided to The Associated Press. “James is focused on moving forward, rejoining his teammates and the Atlanta Falcons organization as a whole, performing at the highest level, and continuing to be a team player on and off the field,” Nunez and another attorney, Yale Sanford, said in another statement. The Falcons did not immediately respond to an inquiry about Pearce's status with the team.
Atlanta's WSB-TV first reported the agreement for Pearce to enter the intervention program. The resolution came on the opening day of the NFL draft , one year after the Falcons made Pearce the No. 26 pick in the 2025 draft.
Pearce led Atlanta with 10 1/2 sacks. His 45 quarterback pressures set a Falcons rookie record. The felony charges, however, have left his status with the team uncertain.