Falcons Plan for James Pearce Jr. to Play vs. Bengals in Madrid After Suspension
Atlanta's 2025 first-round edge rusher is eligible for reinstatement Nov. 2 after an eight-game suspension
The Falcons expect to have James Pearce Jr. back for their trip to Spain. Coach Kevin Stefanski said Friday the plan is for the second-year edge rusher to play in Week 9 against the Bengals, ESPN's Marc Raimondi reported.
Pearce is finishing an eight-game suspension under the league's personal conduct policy and is eligible to be reinstated from the commissioner's exempt list on Nov. 2. He was arrested in February in Miami-Dade County after an altercation with his ex-girlfriend, WNBA player Rickea Jackson, and was later charged with three felonies, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Stefanski said Pearce has done everything the team has asked and everything he's been allowed to do while away.
Stefanski said the plan is for James Pearce Jr. to play next week. #FalconsView on X →
Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi): Stefanski said the plan is for James Pearce Jr. to play next week. #Falcons
On the field, he's a big addition. Atlanta took Pearce No. 26 overall in 2025, and he had 10.5 sacks as a rookie, finishing third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. Getting him back gives defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich another pass rusher for a matchup with Joe Burrow on Nov. 8 at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
First, Atlanta has Tampa Bay on Sunday. The Falcons are 3-4 and tied with Carolina atop the NFC South after Michael Penix Jr. won NFC Offensive Player of the Week in the 29-20 upset of the 49ers. A win would put them alone in first, and the Bucs will be without Emeka Egbuka.