Atlanta Falcons linebacker James Pearce Jr. is facing a battery charge — as well as other offenses — after an alleged domestic incident with Los Angeles Sparks star Rickea Jackson.
Doral, Florida, Police Chief Edwin Lopez told local station Channel 10 News that Pearce, 22, was in custody after crashing his vehicle during a chase with officers on Saturday, February 7. He is facing charges for the aforementioned two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, plus fleeing or eluding police with lights or siren and aggravated stalking.
A spokesperson for the Atlanta Falcons told Us Weekly on Saturday, “We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr. in Miami. We are in the process of gathering more information and will not have any further comment on an open legal matter at this time.”
Pearce reportedly fled the scene of an altercation with Jackson, 24, when police responded to a report of a dispute between a male and a female. Chief Lopez confirmed to Channel 10 News that the woman involved was Jackson.
After allegedly fleeing, the football star crashed his car near Northwest 103rd Avenue and 66th Street in Doral before he was taken into custody. He was booked into Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami, with no bond immediately set.
Us has reached out to Doral police for comment and has also contacted the Sparks.
Pearce was chosen by the Atlanta Falcons as the 26th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft and ultimately played in 17 games with 26 combined tackles and 10.5 sacks last season, per Sports Illustrated. He previously played three seasons with the Tennessee Volunteers at the collegiate level before turning pro.
Jackson played small forward for the Lady Volunteers after transferring from Mississippi State in 2022. She was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks as the fourth overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft.
A romance between the two athletes was rumored dating back to their college days in Tennessee. Jackson finally went public with the relationship when she sat next to Pearce at his NFL Draft party in April 2024.
Fans quickly pointed out the couple’s hard launch via social media, with Jackson playfully responding via X, “Soooo I have a doppelganger. Wow.”
Rickea Jackson in April 2024. Sarah Stier/Getty Images
In June 2025, Jackson shut down pregnancy rumors after she missed two Sparks games due to personal reasons. The pregnancy speculation started when she posted a selfie showing her holding a basketball in front of her stomach.
When a fan criticized Jackson’s friends for “implying that you’re pregnant,” she clarified, “1. My friends don’t use twitter. Yall gotta stop linking people because of a follow😩. 2. Yall come to conclusions everyday it’s hilarious, but I’m a ‘rich auntie’ typa gallll.”
Jackson returned to practice on June 3, 2025, where she complained to reporters about all of the speculation about her absence.
“You’ve just got to be realistic with yourself. Like, at the end of the day, media isn’t about facts anymore,” she told the media. “So that’s just the media. Just taking it with a grain of salt, and not being gullible.”
“Whatever sounds the juiciest, that’s what people want to go with,” she went on. “Like, I’m pregnant, apparently.”
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At the time, Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts sought to downplay social media insinuations that Jackson’s absence was due to dissatisfaction with the WNBA franchise.
“In regards to Rickea, Rickea is a big part of our organization and our team,” Roberts, 50, said. “She is taking personal time and we support her. And we’re excited to get her back when she is ready to come back.”
Jackson returned to the court after a two-game absence and even played through a leg injury later in the 2025 season.
