Atlanta linebacker James Pearce Jr. was in hot water this offseason for allegedly attacking his girlfriend, Rickea Jackson, and fleeing from the police. As of today, Pearce has entered a felony pretrial diversion program, on completion of which all criminal charges against him will be dropped.
With the Falcons minicamp set to start on Tuesday, Pearce is reportedly available to train with the team under new coach Kevin Stefanski. According to a report by Fox 5 Atlanta, Pearce’s attorney said:
“Pearce looks forward to getting back onto the field, and he’s focused on becoming better, and all of his focus is on family and football.”
As part of the pretrial program, Pearce is mandated to complete therapy, pass drug tests carried out by the NFL, and not maintain any contact with Chicago Sky player Rickea Jackson. Pierce and local police came to an agreement on terms after the incident in February.
It is important to note that the Falcons have not provided any official statement on the matter.
Kevin Stefanski Makes Feelings Clear On Michael Penix Jr.’s Return
While Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski waits on official word on James Pearce Jr.’s return, he recently spoke on star quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s return from injury. In an interview ahead of the team’s minicamp, Stefanski shared a short response:
“We’ll see,” per NBCSports.
Penix suffered a knee injury during the Week 11 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, exiting the game in the third quarter. He was consequently put on IR in November, as the team announced its starting quarterback would undergo season-ending surgery after a partially torn ACL.
Amid Penix’s well-documented injury history, the team brought in Miami Dolphins star Tua Tagovailoa, who is supposed to compete for the starting spot once minicamp begins.
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