Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs scored a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night and celebrated with a gesture that drew immediate attention.
Jacobs, who was reinstated from the commissioner's exempt list after serving a six-game stint stemming from domestic violence allegations, appeared to place his hands behind his back as if being handcuffed.
After the game, Jacobs explained the celebration was not a reference to his arrest but to a gospel song titled "Break Every Chain." He said he and wide receiver Savion Williams had planned the celebration, and that the broadcast only showed a fraction of it.
A longer video shows Williams mimicking unlocking chains on Jacobs' wrists before Jacobs breaks free. Jacobs said the first celebration after his return was to thank God, and the second was the "Break Every Chain" reference.
Jacobs was charged with two misdemeanors, battery and damage to property, following a May arrest after police responded to a domestic violence incident at his home. He pleaded no contest in September, resolving the court case, and has sought to prevent the public release of evidence, including alleged video of the incident.
