Josh Jacobs Explains Handcuff Celebration, Wasn't Mocking Arrest

Josh Jacobs swears his hands-behind-the-back touchdown celly on Thursday night had NOTHING to do with his arrest ... explaining it was simply a nod to a gospel song!

Of course, given what the Pro Bowl running back just went through, ain't buyin' the explanation.

The Packers running back punched in a 1-yard TD in the 2nd quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field.

Instead of the traditional Lambeau Leap, Jacobs put his hands behind his back.

Folks watching on Prime Video instantly thought the same thing: handcuffs.

The reaction was instant ... there was outrage on social media, from fans who perceived JJ to be mocking his recent legal troubles.

After the Packers' 27-19 win, Jacobs fired back in the locker room... saying the broadcast did not show the complete celebration.

"It was one f****** second that they just showed me,' Jacobs explained.

Josh claims he and teammate Savion Williams cooked up a celebration plan the week before -- the first TD was for thanking God (which he did last week) -- and the second was "Break Every Chain."

He called the timing "just a correlation" -- and said he knew the media would "make it something that it wasn't, but it is what it is."

FYI, Jacobs missed the first 6 games of the season on the commissioner's exempt list after an alleged altercation with his ex-girlfriend back in May.

Josh pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property in September, and a judge convicted him on the battery charge and fined him $1,000.