An NFL rising star’s whirlwind week took a dramatic turn in South Florida.
James Pearce Jr., a standout linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons, was arrested Saturday night in Florida following what police say began as a domestic dispute involving his girlfriend, WNBA star Rickea Jackson, and ended with a car crash after a police chase.
Local 10 News first reported the arrest, which unfolded in Doral, just outside Miami. Police were initially dispatched to a call involving a male and female arguing. Authorities say Pearce Jr. fled the scene before officers arrived, triggering a pursuit.
Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez confirmed that Pearce Jr. later crashed his vehicle near Northwest 103rd Avenue and 66th Street. Officers took him into custody at the scene.
Videos circulating on social media show multiple officers pinning Pearce Jr. to the ground as they worked to restrain him following the crash. Another clip shows him handcuffed against a patrol car before being placed in the back seat and transported to jail.
According to jail records reviewed by the Daily Mail, Pearce Jr., who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 230 pounds, was booked at 6:58 p.m. Saturday. As of late that night, he was being held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. His bond had not yet been set.
The Falcons acknowledged the situation in a brief statement.
“We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr. in Miami,” a team spokesperson said. “We are in the process of gathering more information and will not have any further comment on an open legal matter at this time.”
The arrest came just two days after Pearce Jr. appeared at NFL Honors in San Francisco, where he was nominated for Defensive Rookie of the Year. He walked the red carpet at the star-studded pre–Super Bowl event and finished third in voting, behind winner Carson Schwesinger and Seattle’s Nick Emmanwori.
Selected No. 26 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Tennessee, Pearce Jr. quickly made his mark in Atlanta after the Falcons traded up to draft him. He recorded 17 solo tackles and 10.5 sacks in his rookie season, earning league-wide attention and early award buzz.
Now, his future is uncertain.
Jackson, meanwhile, is one of the brightest young names in women’s basketball. She plays for the LA Sparks in the WNBA and is currently competing in the new Unrivaled league for the Breeze, based in Miami. She was on the court Friday night, just hours before Pearce Jr.’s arrest.
The couple’s relationship timeline is not fully clear, but they both attended the University of Tennessee and have been seen together publicly, including at the NFL Draft last year. Pearce Jr. has spoken openly about his admiration for Jackson. When asked in May who his favorite athlete was growing up, he answered without hesitation: Rickea Jackson, praising her game as “fluid, smooth, sound and technical.”
Jackson is scheduled to compete in Unrivaled’s upcoming one-on-one tournament Wednesday night, where she is set to face Kahleah Copper.
Fly Away Falcon!