The February 7 arrest of Falcons defensive end James Pearce Jr. wasn’t his first interaction with law enforcement. It turned out to be the most recent.
Michael Rothstein and Marc Raimondi of ESPN posted on Monday afternoon a lengthy item listing at [least seven 911 calls](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/48155007/cops-responded-multiple-911-calls-james-pearce-jr-arrest) WNBA player Rickea Jackson had made in the months before Pearce allegedly rammed her car, repeatedly, before allegedly fleeing and eluding police and allegedly committing aggravated battery of a police officer.
The article, which was published in the early hours of free agency, largely went unnoticed.
Per the report, police records show that Pearce was told on January 13 to stay away from the home of a woman who was described as his ex-girlfriend. Officers were repeatedly sent to the home of Pearce’s “on-again, off-again” girlfriend in the preceding weeks; the name(s) of the individuals who had called authorities were redacted from the documents.
The ESPN article mentions other incidents from January 2026 and November 2025. The most recent visits by police happened on February 1 and February 2, days before Pearce traveled to San Francisco for the NFL Honors ceremony.
As one source with another team told PFT, the Falcons and Pearce could possibly face scrutiny, if the NFL believes any of the prior incidents required notification of the league office under the Personal Conduct Policy.
Pearce has been charged with multiple counts, including five felonies. Pearce has professed his innocence via a statement issued by his lawyers. The league is reviewing the February 7 incident. Pearce could eventually be placed on paid leave.