The clock is ticking toward kickoff, and three NFL players just found themselves sidelined before they ever suited up. Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs, Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Terrion Arnold were all placed on the league's Commissioner's Exempt List Sunday — a move that will disrupt the start of each player's 2026 season just as training camps wind down.

What Landing on the List Actually Means

The Commissioner's Exempt List isn't a routine roster designation — it's reserved specifically for unusual circumstances, according to the league's own rulebook. Players placed on the list are temporarily exempt from counting against a team's Active List limit, but only the commissioner holds the authority to make that call. Teams themselves have no power to place a player there, and no exemption is ever automatic, regardless of the circumstances involved.

A Status With No Fixed Timeline

Notably, the commissioner also decides in advance whether a player's time on the list will have a defined endpoint, or whether it will simply continue indefinitely until the league determines the player is ready to return to active status — leaving each case largely at the discretion of the NFL's front office.

The Allegations Behind Each Suspension

Josh Jacobs Faces Domestic Incident Charges

Jacobs was charged with one count of battery and one count of criminal damage to property, stemming from a domestic incident near his home in Green Bay earlier this year. If convicted on both misdemeanor charges, Jacobs faces potential penalties of up to $20,000 in fines or as much as 18 months in prison.

Jonathon Cooper's Protection Order Violation

Cooper was arrested in June after allegedly violating a protection order that had been filed against him following a previous domestic violence arrest — meaning this wasn't his first brush with the legal system on related charges, but an escalation involving an alleged violation of court-ordered protections.

Terrion Arnold's Kidnapping and Robbery Charges

Arnold was arrested back in June on kidnapping and armed robbery charges. The Detroit Lions released him from the team shortly after his arrest, but he later resurfaced at an NFL training camp with the Seahawks. For now, though, he'll have to wait before seeing any actual game action this season.

Other Players Still Under Scrutiny

Landing on the Exempt List reflects the seriousness of the specific allegations against these three players — but it doesn't mean every player entangled in offseason legal trouble has escaped further consequences.

Rashee Rice's Probation Violation

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice spent 30 days in jail this spring after violating probation tied to a 2025 plea agreement stemming from offseason legal trouble in 2024 — a case that predates this year's controversies but continues to hang over his standing with the league.

Puka Nacua's Assault Accusation

Los Angeles Rams star Puka Nacua could also face league discipline, after being accused in March of biting a woman during an altercation. Nacua entered rehab shortly after the accusation surfaced.

Rashod Bateman's Pending Domestic Violence Charges

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman is currently facing domestic violence charges stemming from an incident in June, adding his name to the growing list of players whose offseasons have been overshadowed by legal proceedings rather than preparation for the upcoming season.

What Comes Next

League discipline against Nacua, Bateman and Rice remains a possibility, and any such action could still affect how — or whether — each of them takes the field during the 2026 season, leaving their situations as ongoing storylines the NFL will need to address in the weeks ahead.