James Pearce from the Falcons Arrested Following Domestic Dispute with Sparks’ Rickea Jackson
ATLANTA — Atlanta Falcons rookie James Pearce Jr. was arrested near Miami on Saturday night following a police pursuit that ended in a car crash. Officers responded to a reported domestic dispute involving Pearce and Sparks player Rickea Jackson.
Pearce, the Falcons’ first-round pick who topped the team in sacks, has been booked at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Court records indicate he faces multiple charges, including two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking, and fleeing or eluding law enforcement. As of now, no bond has been set.
In a statement to the Associated Press, the Falcons acknowledged awareness of the incident. "We are in the process of gathering more information and will not have any further comment on an open legal matter at this time," the team said.
Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez confirmed that the dispute involved Pearce and Jackson, who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft. Jackson averaged 14.7 points over 38 games in the 2025 season after playing college basketball at Tennessee and Mississippi State.
Pearce, an edge rusher from Tennessee, was selected as the No. 26 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. In his rookie season, he recorded 10.5 sacks, making a significant impact on the field with a franchise record of 45 quarterback pressures. His contributions also included 26 tackles, 16 quarterback hits, and a forced fumble.
The Falcons wrapped up their season with an 8-9 record, which led to the dismissal of head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot. The team has since appointed Kevin Stefanski as the new head coach and Ian Cunningham as general manager.
