Former Tennessee football star arrested on numerous charges in Florida

Atlanta Falcons rookie and former Tennessee football star, James Pearce Jr., was arrested today in Florida.

Pearce was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking, fleeing, and eluding police, according to a report from WPLG Local 10, a South Florida news station.

At this point, the situation remains unresolved, with few details publicly available beyond the reported charges. The Atlanta Falcons have made a public comment about this development.

The organization said, “We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr., in Miami. We are in the process of gathering more information and will not have any further comment on an open legal matter at this time.”

James Pearce Jr. arrested on Saturday night

Pearce is coming off a strong rookie season with the Falcons. He was named a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year in his first year in the NFL along with Abdul Carter, Nick Emmanwori, Xavier Watts, and Carson Schwesinger.

He had 10.5 sacks, 26 tackles, five passes defended, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery playing in all 17 games. The former first-round pick in the NFL Draft last April was a major piece of Atlanta's defense.

For now, the legal process will have to play out, and more information is expected to emerge in the coming days. Pearce’s status with the Falcons could be affected depending on the outcome of the case, though no disciplinary action has been announced at this time from the Atlanta organization or the NFL.