James Pearce Jr. Seen Working Out with Former Georgia Bulldogs Star

Atlanta Falcons pass rusher James Pearce Jr.’s lingering availability for the team’s offseason activities has been at the forefront of discussion over the last several months. The finalist for the 2025 AP NFL Rookie of the Year was arrested in February and has subsequently missed the last several offseason check-in points.

However, a new video circulating on social media showed that the defender is back in Atlanta.

James Pearce Jr. appears to be in Atlanta getting prepared for the upcoming #Falcons season with @Mhoward38 pic.twitter.com/Vj6AEejPUM
— Miles Garrett (@MilesGarrettTV) June 1, 2026

In the video, you can see Pearce working out and performing various pass-rushing drills at Norcross High School in the metro Atlanta area. He is training with former Georgia Bulldogs defensive end Marcus Howard, who finished with an SEC-leading 10.5 sacks as a senior in 2007.

Allen now trains pass rushers.

The Falcons are in the midst of their organized team activities (OTAs) up at Flowery Branch, but Pearce has not been present for the voluntary program. The next notable checkpoint for both parties is the mandatory minicamp in two weeks, but it is unclear whether he will be present.

Pearce has been away from the franchise for the past several months following his arrest stemming from domestic violence allegations. However, the second-year defender reportedly agreed to a 12-month program that could help him avoid court and any potential jail time.

The front office and staff have maintained a consistent stance throughout, but Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski had this to say about that update.

“I’m aware of that report, but I really have no update,” he said last Wednesday during OTAs when asked about the recent update for Pearce. “[We are] in constant communication with all parties, but continuing to wait for more information to come out.”

Patience remains their best course of action until the league officially hands down its decision on Pearce. He will miss games stemming from the NFL’s conduct policy, but when that happens and how many he ultimately misses remain unclear.

Until that point, both the player and the franchise will remain in a holding pattern.

Whenever he does return to the field, Pearce will be an important piece of the Falcons’ defense. He led the team and all NFL rookies in sacks last season (10.5). Pearce was the catalyst in what turned into a record-setting year for the team’s pass rush.

“There are so many things that are always in play at this level, so it's just [about] the guys that are here today, the guys that we're gonna ride with, and develop and feature in the right ways,” Jeff Ulbrich said about elevating the group rather than focusing on the individual. “We're just going to coach the guys that we have as best we can, featuring the best we can, and we'll go from there.”

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