Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs, who signed a four-year, $48 million deal in March to replace Aaron Jones, is off to a bumpy start in the 2024 season, much like his team’s 2-2 record. Jacobs, a two-time Pro Bowler, has accumulated 329 rushing yards and 52 receiving yards over four games but has yet to score. In the Packers’ 31-29 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Jacobs had only 13 touches, a drop from the 32 carries for 151 yards he posted two weeks earlier.
Over the weekend, the NFL fined Jacobs $45,020 for unnecessary roughness and improper helmet use in a Week 3 game against the Tennessee Titans’ defensive back, Quandre Diggs. NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported that Jacobs is appealing the fine, hoping to avoid further disciplinary action from the league. This is not the first time Jacobs has faced penalties for helmet use. According to Pelissero, Jacobs was fined twice in 2023 for similar offenses, though one fine was rescinded and the other reduced.
The NFL had issued warnings to a select group of players, including Jacobs, before the 2024 season, emphasizing the importance of safety and sportsmanship. ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted in a report on September 8 that the NFL sent a memo to more than 20 players, alerting them that future safety violations could lead to suspensions. Additionally, starting this season, NFL teams are subject to fines if their players are suspended for safety violations, misconduct, or drug offenses, due to the league’s reinstated club remittance policy.
Jacobs, who was drafted in the first round in 2019, has now been fined three times in his six-year NFL career. The two previous infractions occurred in 2023 while he was with the Las Vegas Raiders, resulting in a total of $21,855 in fines for improper helmet use. If Jacobs’ current appeal is denied and he continues to violate safety rules, he could face suspension, forcing him to miss games for the Packers this season.