NFL Rookie Arrested After Chase

Atlanta Falcons rookie defender James Pearce Jr. has been arrested in South Florida following a reported domestic incident connected to Los Angeles Sparks player Rickea Jackson, law enforcement officials confirmed.

Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez said the 22-year-old NFL linebacker was taken into custody on Saturday, February 7, after officers attempted to stop his vehicle. The situation escalated into a police chase that ended with a crash near Northwest 103rd Avenue and 66th Street. Pearce is now facing an array of serious charges, including two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking, and fleeing police while emergency signals were active.

Authorities later confirmed that Jackson, 24, was the woman involved in the incident that prompted the police response. Investigators allege Pearce left the scene before officers were able to locate him.

The Atlanta Falcons acknowledged the arrest in a brief public statement, saying, “We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr. in Miami. We are in the process of gathering more information and will not have any further comment on an open legal matter at this time.”

Following his arrest, Pearce was booked into Miami’s Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. As of the most recent update, bail had not been established. Officials have reached out to both the Sparks organization and local police departments for additional comment.

The legal situation unfolds less than a year after Pearce entered the NFL as the Falcons’ 26th overall selection in the 2025 draft, after a standout run at the University of Tennessee. Jackson, who also competed at Tennessee before turning professional, was selected fourth overall by the Sparks in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

The two athletes, whose relationship traces back to their college years, have previously attracted public attention as their careers accelerated on parallel paths.