Falcons' James Pearce Jr. arrested in Florida on battery charges - ESPN

Atlanta Falcons rookie linebacker James Pearce Jr. was arrested Saturday in Florida after a domestic dispute involving Los Angeles Sparks forward Rickea Jackson, police said.

Pearce was arrested in Miami-Dade County on two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and a count of aggravated stalking. He was also charged with fleeing and eluding police officers, aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer without violence to his person.

According to online records, Pearce was booked at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center at 6:58 p.m. Saturday.

Doral police chief Edwin Lopez told WPLG-TV that the dispute was between Pearce and Jackson. Lopez told the outlet that Pearce was arrested after fleeing a domestic dispute and crashing his vehicle during a police chase.

«We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr., in Miami,» the Falcons said in a prepared statement. «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, 22, was third in AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. He had 10.5 sacks this past season, the most for a rookie since Micah Parsons in 2024. The Falcons selected Pearce with the 26th pick in the 2025 NFL draft.