Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper was arrested Thursday on multiple charges that he violated a protection order filed against him earlier this week.
Cooper initially was arrested and jailed in Douglas County (Colo.) early last Friday on misdemeanor domestic violence charges before being released later that morning. A felony charge for second-degree assault by strangulation and an additional misdemeanor charge of third-degree assault stemming from that incident were announced in court on Wednesday, according to ESPN, citing court records.
On Thursday, he was charged with harassment from repeated phone calls as well as violation of a protection order. He was held overnight at the Douglas County Jail awaiting a scheduled court hearing Friday.
“We are disappointed to learn of Jonathon Cooper’s arrest on Thursday and continue to review this matter,” the Broncos said in a statement Friday morning.
Parker Police responded to a call and arrested Cooper at 11:16 p.m. on June 4. He was released from Douglas County Jail the following day on a personal recognizance bond.
Arrest records from June 4 indicate Cooper and his girlfriend were involved in a disagreement over allegations of infidelity. In separate signed affidavits, the parties gave much different accounts of the events that caused the argument to escalate.
A pre-trial hearing was set for July 6 during Cooper’s court appearance on Monday. A trial date of July 22 falls within a week of the likely start of Denver’s training camp.
The NFL is aware of the charges and is monitoring the situation.
“I think the league has done a good job of kind of coming in and really taking over that responsibility,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Thursday, when asked if the NFL will be involved.
“We had a long visit with ‘Coop’, and now the process plays out. The league obviously will be very much involved in that. We’ll stay abreast, but much like you all. I think that’s where it’s at. We just go from there.”
Cooper, 28, has started every game in each of the past three seasons for Denver and has played in 81 games (65 starts) since the Broncos drafted him in the seventh round in 2021.
Cooper recorded eight sacks, 50 tackles and 16 quarterback hits last season. He has 31.5 sacks, 63 QB hits, 266 tackles, three fumble recoveries (one for a touchdown), two forced fumbles and one interception.
He signed a four-year, $60 million extension in November 2024.
