Atlanta Falcons pass rusher James Pearce Jr. will have all charges stemming from a February incident with former girlfriend and WNBA star Rickea Jackson dropped if he completes a pretrial intervention program administered by the state of Florida, according to his attorney, Yale Sanford.
Pearce, 22, was arrested on Feb. 7 after allegedly hitting Jackson’s vehicle several times with his own and trying to block her access to the Doral (Fla.) Police Department and was charged with felony aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, felony fleeing and eluding police, felony resisting an officer with violence and misdemeanor stalking.
The ruling was made Thursday morning during a hearing in Doral. The terms of the program require Pearce to stay away from Jackson, undergo therapy sessions and “stay out of trouble” for the next six months, Sanford said. He also said that Jackson and the prosecutor’s office have signed off on the deal.
“Overall, it is the best possible result we could have imagined here,” Sanford told The Athletic. “It speaks to the willingness of the state to give him the opportunity. I think that’s an extreme win for us and especially for James. It allows him to focus on himself and his family and getting back on the football field.”
The Athletic has reached out to the Doral prosecutor’s office, Jackson’s attorneys and the Falcons for comment, but has not yet received a response.
Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham was asked about Pearce’s status with the team on Monday and said, “Everything is status quo.” Pearce did not attend the team’s voluntary workouts earlier this month. Cunningham had previously referred to reports about the case as “concerning, to say the least.”
The most recent update came on the opening day of the NFL Draft, in which Atlanta does not have a first-round pick because it traded that pick last year to secure the No. 26 pick in 2025, which it used to select Pearce. The University of Tennessee product went on to lead the team and all rookies with 10.5 sacks and finish third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
Thursday’s news doesn’t mean Pearce will avoid discipline by the NFL. The league has been reviewing his case under the terms of its personal conduct policy, which allows the NFL to conduct its own investigation independent of law enforcement.
Pearce and his attorney are prepared to cooperate with the league’s investigation, Sanford said.
“We are 100 percent ready and able to be a part of that and make it as smooth and painless as possible,” he said.
The last player to face a significant suspension from the league was Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Cameron Sutton, who was suspended without pay for the first eight games of the 2024 season after the league found him in violation of the personal conduct policy following an incident in which he was arrested on charges of domestic battery by strangulation. His original felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor before the league’s action, according to CBS Pittsburgh.
Pearce “has taken responsibility for his mental health,” Sanford said.
The Feb. 7 incident was part of a tumultuous, multiyear relationship between Pearce and Jackson, 25, according to a petition for injunction for protection against dating violence Jackson filed on Feb. 9.
“James appears to have an underlying mental disorder, and he is violent,” she stated in the petition. “I am in fear of my life, and I believe, if this Court does not assist me with this issue, James will kill me.”
According to Jackson’s petition, Pearce threatened to kill her, threatened to put a bag over her head and “verbally and physically abused” her on multiple occasions prior to the Feb. 7 incident that led to his arrest. After an incident in which he “snatched” her cellphone away and pulled her hair, Jackson told Pearce she wanted to end the relationship, she stated in the document.
“James did not listen to my request and instead went on a never-ending campaign of threats, physical assaults and abuse against me,” she wrote.
At one point, Pearce offered Jackson $75,000 to meet with her and $200,000 to remain in a relationship with her, according to Jackson.