Stefanski stays tight-lipped as Falcons face fallout from James Pearce Jr.’s arrest

By Canadian Press on February 11, 2026.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski introduced the team’s offensive, defensive and special teams coordinators on Wednesday, but not without making a statement on James Pearce Jr.’s arrest first.

“On the James Pearce situation, there’s really nothing to add,” Stefanski said. “Our coaches will defer to the statement that was put out, so respectfully, I understand there’s questions, but we don’t have much to add there.”

Pearce was arrested on Saturday night after what the Doral Police Department said was a domestic dispute with WNBA player Rickea Jackson. He was arrested after crashing his car in an attempt to evade police. He faces five felony charges, including two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated stalking.

Peace posted a bond of $20,500 on Sunday at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. His attorney says Pearce “maintains his innocence.”

After a nearly complete overhaul of the Falcons’ staff following an 8-9 season, defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is one of few remaining coaches who has experience with Pearce.

Pearce’s rookie season was Ulbrich’s first as Atlanta’s defensive coordinator. The linebacker led the team with 10.5 sacks.

“It’s an unfortunate situation. Just don’t have all the details of it yet,” Ulbrich said Wednesday, adding that it was disappointing news.

On establishing a succession plan for Pearce, Ubrich added: “It’s still so early, you know, it’s still so early. We’re not there yet.”

The Falcons traded their 2026 first-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Rams for last year’s No. 26 overall pick, where they selected Pearce. The Falcons’ pass rush saw significant improvement in 2025, setting a team record with 57 sacks, 26 more than the year prior.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Maura Carey, The Associated Press

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