He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide and was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft.

Jacobs rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons, while being named to NFL All-Rookie Team in 2019 and to his first Pro Bowl in 2020.

[3] At the end of his rookie season in the NFL, he was featured reflecting on his homeless experience in a Kia commercial that aired during Super Bowl LIV.

[7] As a junior, he was named the MVP of the 2018 SEC Championship Game against the Georgia Bulldogs after rushing for 83 yards with two touchdowns.

[12] Jacobs made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football.

[13] In the following game against the Kansas City Chiefs, he rushed 12 times for 99 yards as the Raiders lost by a score of 28–10.

[15] During Week 7 against the Green Bay Packers, he rushed 21 times for 124 yards in the 42–24 road loss.

[16] Two weeks later against the Detroit Lions, Jacobs rushed 28 times for 120 yards and two touchdowns in the 31–24 victory.

[28] In the following week's game against the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football, Jacobs recorded 105 all purpose yards (88 rushing, 17 receiving) during the 34–24 win.

[30] In Week 8 against the Cleveland Browns, Jacobs rushed for a career-high 128 yards on 31 carries in the team's 16–6 win.

[33] In Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football, Jacobs recorded 114 yards from scrimmage and a rushing touchdown during the 30–27 overtime loss.

[37] Jacobs scored two rushing touchdowns in the Week 1 overtime victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

[42] On April 29, 2022, the Raiders announced that they would not pick up the fifth-year option on Jacobs' contract, making him a free agent in the 2023 offseason.

[43] In Week 4, Jacobs set a career high in yardage in a 23–32 win against the Broncos where he ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns.

[64] On March 14, 2024, Jacobs signed a four-year, $48 million contract with the Green Bay Packers.

Jacobs is of Filipino descent via Angeles City through his paternal grandmother, and has a portrait of her tattooed on his left hand.