Falcons’ James Pearce charged with battery following incident involving WNBA star

Atlanta Falcons linebacker James Pearce Jr. has been charged with battery and several other alleged offenses following a reported domestic incident involving Los Angeles Sparks standout Rickea Jackson.

According to Doral, Florida Police Chief Edwin Lopez, Pearce, 22, was taken into custody after crashing his car during a police pursuit on Saturday, February 7. Lopez told Channel 10 News that Pearce is facing two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, along with charges for aggravated stalking and fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement while police lights or sirens were activated.

In a statement provided to Us Weekly on Saturday, a spokesperson for the Atlanta Falcons said, “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.”

Authorities report that Pearce left the scene of an alleged altercation with Jackson, 24, after police responded to a call regarding a dispute between a man and a woman. Chief Lopez confirmed to Channel 10 News that Jackson was the woman involved. After fleeing, Pearce allegedly crashed his vehicle near Northwest 103rd Avenue and 66th Street in Doral, where he was apprehended by police.

Pearce was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami, and no bond was immediately established. Us Weekly has contacted Doral police for additional comment and has also reached out to the Los Angeles Sparks.

Pearce was selected by the Falcons with the 26th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and appeared in all 17 games during his rookie season, recording 26 total tackles and 10.5 sacks, according to Sports Illustrated. Prior to entering the NFL, he played three seasons of college football at the University of Tennessee.

Jackson, meanwhile, played small forward for the Tennessee Lady Volunteers after transferring from Mississippi State in 2022. She was later drafted fourth overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Speculation about a relationship between Pearce and Jackson had circulated since their college years in Tennessee. Jackson publicly confirmed the romance in April 2024 when she appeared seated next to Pearce at his NFL Draft celebration. Fans quickly noticed the couple’s public debut on social media, prompting Jackson to jokingly respond on X, “Soooo I have a doppelganger. Wow.”

In June 2025, Jackson addressed and dismissed rumors that she was pregnant after missing two Sparks games for personal reasons. The speculation began when she shared a photo of herself holding a basketball in front of her stomach. After a fan criticized her friends for supposedly fueling the rumors, Jackson clarified that her friends are not active on Twitter and pushed back against assumptions based on social media follows. She added humorously that she was a “rich auntie” type, not expecting a child.

Jackson returned to team practice on June 3, 2025, and later spoke to reporters about the intense scrutiny surrounding her absence. She criticized modern media culture, saying it often prioritizes sensationalism over facts. “Whatever sounds the juiciest, that’s what people want to go with,” she said, referencing the pregnancy rumors.

At the time, Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts also addressed speculation suggesting Jackson’s absence was tied to dissatisfaction with the organization. Roberts emphasized that Jackson remained a key part of the team, noting that she was taking personal time with the franchise’s full support. Jackson returned after missing two games and continued to play later in the 2025 season despite dealing with a leg injury.