Atlanta Falcons wide receiver James Pearce Jr. has entered a six-month pretrial intervention program that could lead to a dismissal of all charges if all conditions are met, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport said Thursday, citing Pearce’s attorneys, Jacob Nunez and Yale Sanford.
The deal, which includes no jail time and no admission of guilt, was negotiated with the city of Doral, Fla., and the victim, Rickea Jackson, according to Rapoport.
Pearce, 22, was arrested near Miami on February 7 following an incident involving his ex-girlfriend Jackson. Pearce was charged with three counts — aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police and resisting an officer with violence — as well as a stalking charge.
Pearce did not report to the Falcons’ free practice earlier this month following his February arrest.
The NFL says it has been “closely monitoring all developments” in the case surrounding Pearce, according to Rapoport. Pearce could still face discipline from the NFL for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
The Falcons selected Pearce with the 26th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, after trading back into the first round to acquire the Tennessee product. He was the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year after recording 26 tackles and 10.5 sacks.