FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The NFL announced Friday afternoon that Atlanta Falcons pass rusher James Pearce Jr. will be suspended for the first eight games of the 2026 regular season for violating the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy.
The league stated that Pearce's suspension will take effect on Sunday, August 30, which is also the deadline for teams to reduce their rosters to the 53-man limit for the regular season. The timing of Pearce's suspension means he can participate in Atlanta's preseason games and all other team activities.
Pearce will be eligible for reinstatement on Monday, November 2, which is the week the Falcons are slated to play the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid, Spain.
The Falcons traded back into the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft to select Pearce with the 26th overall pick. The rookie edge rusher had a noteworthy first season as part of a record-setting pass rush in Atlanta and led the team with 10.5 sacks, the most by a rookie since Micah Parsons had 13 in 2021.
Atlanta will play its first preseason game of the 2026 season against the Denver Broncos inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Friday at 7 p.m. ET.
