Atlanta Falcons linebacker James Pearce Jr. is eligible to play once again in Week 9 after serving out an eight-game suspension. However, his availability against the Cincinnati Bengals in the Madrid Game was in doubt due to a back injury.
But as NFL insider Ian Rapoport pointed out on X, formerly Twitter, while quote tweeting the Falcons' Week 9 inactives, Pearce is officially active against the Bengals despite dealing with back tightness.
Pearce was the Falcons' first-round pick last year. He played all 17 games in his rookie season, picking up 26 total tackles and 10.5 sacks. However, he was handed an eight-game suspension by the NFL after he was arrested on domestic violence charges in February.
More to follow.