James Pearce Jr., drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 2025 and a Tennessee Volunteers alum, led the team with 10.5 sacks as a rookie before his February 2026 arrest in a domestic dispute. The NFL suspended him for the first eight games of the 2026 season under its personal conduct policy, with reinstatement possible after Week 8. Sources confirm the arrest involved ex-girlfriend Rickea Jackson but dispute any linked felony weapon charge.