Arrest
Why it is trending in America today
Josh Jacobs' handcuff touchdown celebration draws criticism
Packers running back Josh Jacobs is trending after a touchdown celebration on Thursday night that many viewers read as a mock of his own arrest. Jacobs later said the celebration was an ode to a gospel song, not a mock of his arrest, and a longer video of the celebration appeared to contradict his account.
The story behind it
Jacobs was arrested in May 2026. The case ended with a no-contest plea to a battery charge involving a woman. A no-contest plea means the defendant does not admit guilt but accepts the conviction. Critics said the celebration seemed to make light of that arrest.
The background
GREEN BAY, Wis., Oct. 30 — Green Bay beat Carolina 27-19 on Thursday night, and Jacobs scored two touchdowns in the game. After his first score, he appeared to pretend his wrists were cuffed. Many people criticized the move as a joke about his May 2026 arrest.
A longer video of the celebration appears to show his hands moving from behind his back to the front, with a teammate seeming to unlock the cuffs. That footage does not appear to support his account. Radio host Craig Carton also criticized the celebration on his show.
Key facts
- Josh Jacobs scored two touchdowns for the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.
- The Packers beat the Carolina Panthers 27-19.
- His first touchdown celebration looked like he was in handcuffs.
- Jacobs said the gesture was about a display the cameras did not fully capture and was not about his arrest.
- A longer video appears to contradict his explanation.
What we don't know yet
It is not clear whether the NFL or the Packers will take any action over the celebration.
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Trend data
Arrest started trending in the US on Oct 30, 5:30 PM EDT, reaching about 20K+ Google searches. 11 news outlets covered it in our feed, including Reuters, WKMG, KATU. The earliest report we found came from Reuters at Oct 30, 10:43 AM EDT.