The Josh Jacobs situation has been a hard pill to swallow. Given the allegations against him, there was a ton of backlash when the Green Bay Packers brought him back into the mix after he missed the first six games of the season while on the commissioner's exempt list.
Now, despite the fact that even more allegations have been made public, the Packers have decided to stick with him, prompting strong reactions from fans and even some analysts.
In May, Jacobs was arrested after an altercation with his then-girlfriend. He pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property. He was fined $1,000 plus court costs on the battery charge, while the criminal-damage charge can be dismissed after a year if he satisfies the terms of his agreement with prosecutors.
The NFL also placed him on the commissioner's exempt list before he was reinstated midway through October. However, newly released police records revealed three other women also accused Jacobs of physical abuse in separate incidents in April 2021, January 2022, and May 2022.
Jacobs disputes all three allegations. His attorneys said in a statement Sunday that "the police department's released file contains only phone interviews, taken years after the fact, with no additional investigation save for an acknowledgment that Josh did nothing wrong."
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Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was asked about the other accusations, saying, "We're aware of the prior allegations on Josh. We're going to allow the NFL to do its process. But I would anticipate him being a member of us moving forward."
Asked why the Packers are standing by Jacobs, he replied, "I'm not going to get into that up here right now."
This response frustrated Peter Bukowski , a Packers analyst who hosts the "Locked on Packers" podcast.
"Matt LaFleur was asked why the Packers have decided to keep Josh Jacobs. LaFleur sidesteps the question to say they'll let the process play out. Extremely weak," Bukowski said. "If you're going to make a decision like this, stand on it and say why."
When a follower asked why he's "standing on this hill so hard," Bukowski made his feelings on the matter clear.
"Because I think if you're a team who decides to stand behind someone accused by 4 women of DV, you should have to explain why," Bukowski wrote . "Even without knowing check veracity of the claim, that seems like a reasonable request."
On his podcast, Bukowski also directed blame at Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst, who has not addressed the media to explain the decision to keep Jacobs.
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"Brian Gutekunst, the Packers general manager, needed to be in front of the media because he is ultimately the one that has the discretion to move on. He is ultimately the one that makes that decision," Bukowski said. "It's in some ways unfair to ask Matt LaFleur solely to answer those questions. Though his input is vital because he has a better understanding of Josh Jacobs, the person, he's the guy that works with him every day.
"Brian Gutekunst is far more removed from the process. But Brian Gutekunst needs to be able to stand in front of us and explain this is why the Packers are sticking with a guy who is now alleged by four different women to have committed violence against them."
Without Jacobs, the Packers had one of the worst rushing attacks in the entire league, compounded by a porous offensive line. Those problems haven't gone away even after Jacobs returned, as he's averaging just 2.3 yards per carry in the two games he has played. He has scored three touchdowns in two games (one on the ground and two through the air). Last year, Jacobs ranked No. 16 in PFN's RB Impact Score with a grade of 76.5.
Some fans have called for the Packers to cut ties with Jacobs and trade for Indianapolis Colts star Jonathan Taylor, but it sounds like Jacobs will be on the roster for the foreseeable future.
As long as he is on the team, the Packers can expect plenty of backlash from fans and analysts who disagree with that decision.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .
