Jabrill Peppers placed on NFL Commissioner's Exempt List
FOXBORO -- Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers has been placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List on Wednesday, following his arrest over the weekend for assault and battery and drug possession. Peppers is ineligible to practice with the team or attend games while on the list.
New England head coach Jerod Mayo said that Peppers was not in the building Wednesday as the Patriots kicked off their Week 6 preparations for the Houston Texans. Mayo spoke about Peppers' arrest when he first took the podium Wednesday morning.
"Just to start off on Jabrill, really any act of domestic violence is unacceptable for us. As a team, whether you're a player or a staff member, we're against any act of domestic violence. I know the organization's position, which I fully support," said Mayo.
"Jabrill has to go through the system and continue to go through due process. We'll see how that works out. The league has put him on the exempt list and that will give us more time going forward," added Mayo.
What is the NFL Commissioner's Exempt List?
The NFL Commissioner's Exempt List is defined as "a special player status available to clubs only in unusual circumstances" in the NFL rule book. It's essentially a paid leave option for players dealing with non-injury issues, including off-the-field situations. Players cannot play, practice, or attend games while on the list. Players can attend meetings and workouts, and receive treatments at the team facility, while on the list.
Only NFL commissioner Roger Goodell can place a player on the exempt list. Goodell is also the only person that can determine the how long a player stays on the list and when that player can return to an active roster. It's completely out of the hands of the team.
Mayo said Wednesday that he doesn't anticipate Peppers being back with the team anytime in the near future.
Jabrill Peppers arrest
Peppers was arrested by Braintree police on the morning of Oct. 5 and was charged with charged with assault and battery on an intimate partner, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation, and possession of a Class B drug that police believe was cocaine.
"As a father of three daughters, I definitely understand the seriousness of the allegations and hopefully they are not true," Mayo said Wednesday.
Peppers was released later that morning after posting $2,500 bail, and was arraigned in Quincy court the following Monday. According to court documents, Peppers' accuser told police that around 4 a.m., Peppers hit and choked her multiple times before pushing her down the stairs. Peppers was asked to stay away from his accuser, a request that he and his attorney agreed to.
"We have evidence that completely contradicts the alleged victim's story. I expect my client to be fully exonerated," attorney Marc Brofsky told reporters after Peppers' hearing.
Peppers' next hearing is sheduled for November 22, though he waived his right to appear in court that day.
Who is Jabrill Peppers?
Peppers was named a Patriots team captain for the first time in 2024, his third season with the team. The safety initially signed with New England in 2022 after starting his career with the Cleveland Browns (2017-18) and the New York Giants (2019-2021). Peppers was a first-round pick by the Browns, drafted 17th overall in 2017 out of Michigan.
Peppers didn't start any games in his first season with the Patriots but played in all 17 games. He started 15 games in 2023 and became a key part of the secondary following Devin McCourty's retirement.
He signed a three-year, $24 million contract extension with New England ahead of the 2024 season, which included over $11 million in guaranteed money.