Yesterday, Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur stated that the team received no updates on the status of running back Josh Jacobs
, in terms of the league’s feedback on when he’ll return from his time on the exempt list. Jacobs has spent the entire regular season on the exempt list, where a potential suspension will be treated as time served, after he was charged with battery and criminal damage to property — charges he pleaded no contest to in court last month.Per reports, the NFL still badly
wants access to whatever video the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department was able to recover from Jacobs’ garage from the time in which Jacobs apparently pushed his then-girlfriend, causing her injury. The judge in Jacobs’ case ruled a few weeks ago that Hobart-Lawrence should decide whether to make the evidence in the case public, including the video.
Now, WBAY is reporting that it has received a letter from the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department, stating that they will delay the release of the video — going beyond the 10-day response deadline. Below is the full letter from the department:
Following the Court’s direction on September 24, 2026, the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department completed its review and balancing test of the responsive records, determining that certain records could be released with appropriate redactions.
On October 5, 2026, the Department issued the required notices to the record subjects of its decision under Wis. Stat. § 19.356 concerning records obtained through subpoenas and search warrants. Since issuing those notices, the Department has received written notifications from attorneys representing the record subjects of their intentions to seek judicial orders restraining disclosure, including objections concerning the broader investigative records.
These records are therefore subject to the statutory release waiting period and any judicial proceedings under § 19.356. This process is separate from the general timeframe for responding to public records requests. The Department also provided courtesy notification of its intent to release additional records, including police reports, body-worn camera recordings, and squad camera recordings.
Accordingly, the Department is temporarily withholding all responsive records in accordance with the statutory waiting period and any applicable court orders. This temporary hold does not constitute a denial of your request or a reversal of the Department’s balancing-test determination. Records not independently subject to § 19.356 remain under review for release as soon as legally appropriate.
The Department recognizes its obligation under Wis. Stat. § 19.35(4)(a) to respond to public records requests as soon as practicable and without delay. Wisconsin law does not establish a fixed 10-day response deadline, and the Department continues to process this request in accordance with its statutory obligations.
We will provide further updates as the legal proceedings develop and the Department determines when the responsive records may be released.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
In short, some records are going to be redacted, but all records are on a temporary hold, as the police department received “written notifications from attorneys representing the record subjects of their intentions to seek judicial orders restraining disclosure.”
The legal process continues. Don’t expect the NFL to move until the fate of the video is settled.
