James Pearce Jr. was arrested after an argument with Rickea Jackson of the WNBA club Los Angeles Sparks. He had previously fled the scene and crashed his car.

Shock for the Atlanta Falcons: Pass rusher James Pearce Jr. is facing a lot of trouble.

The NFL first-round pick was arrested in Florida on Saturday for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking, and fleeing from the police.

“We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr. in Miami. We are currently gathering more information and will not comment further on this ongoing legal matter at this time,” the Falcons said.

What happened? According to police, there had been a prior altercation with Rickea Jackson of the WNBA club Los Angeles Sparks. Pearce fled during the police response to the alleged domestic dispute.

A few days later, it emerged that the pass rusher had deliberately rammed Jackson’s car as she was driving away. When police officers arrived, Pearce attempted to flee and even hit one of the officers with his car.

The arrest records show that Pearce is charged with several counts, but no decision has yet been made on the amount of bail for each charge.

“We will bring the truth to light,” said the Falcons star’s lawyer, who is pleading not guilty.

Falcons rookie also faces suspension

Pearce had a strong rookie season. In the 2025 draft, the Falcons traded up to select him with the 26th pick. He had an impressive 10.5 sacks during the season and finished third in the voting for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Pearce now faces not only consequences from the justice system, but also from the league under its Personal Conduct Policy. He could be suspended after a review of the incident by the NFL.