Content warning: This article contains depictions of alleged domestic violence.
Denver Broncos player Jonathon Cooper, a linebacker, faced a second arrest within a week this Thursday. He was reportedly issued four new charges stemming from an alleged breach of a restraining order issued to him last Thursday, as reported by 9News.com.
His initial apprehension occurred the previous Thursday. Both Cooper and his female partner were accused of two counts related to domestic violence and one misdemeanor count of property damage, according to 9News.com. A restraining order was subsequently imposed on Cooper as a condition of that arrest, prohibiting communication with his girlfriend.
The 28-year-old Cooper purportedly breached this directive, resulting in his subsequent detention on Thursday, June 11. This violation led to four additional accusations: two counts of domestic abuse, one charge of harassment, and one charge for non-compliance with his restraining order.
Furthermore, Cooper is also confronting “another felony accusation of second-degree assault involving strangulation and a charge for third-degree assault,” as per 9News.com.
Court records indicate that the initial detention of Cooper stemmed from a dispute involving allegations of infidelity. An affidavit states that Cooper reportedly seized his girlfriend by the neck and elevated her. He then allegedly hindered her departure and propelled her to the floor on three separate occasions. Following this, Cooper is accused of biting his girlfriend’s phone with his mouth, causing it to break.
When queried about Cooper’s first arrest early on Thursday, Broncos’ head coach Sean Payton indicated that the team would monitor developments and acknowledged the league’s management of the issue.
Subsequent to Cooper’s second apprehension, however, the Broncos issued a public declaration expressing their “disappointment” regarding the linebacker’s repeated arrest.
Cooper, selected by the Broncos in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft, advanced to a starting position with the squad despite his late draft pick. He has been a starter in every game for the Broncos since the 2023 season, accumulating 31.5 sacks throughout his professional career.
