Jonathon Cooper, a linebacker for the Denver Broncos, was arrested on Thursday, marking his second arrest within a week for allegedly violating a protective order in Colorado.
The NFL player faces misdemeanor charges related to the violation of a protection order and harassment, according to reports.
Following his arrest on June 11, he was also charged with two additional counts of felony second-degree assault through strangulation and a misdemeanor third-degree assault.
Cooper attended the Broncos’ offseason practice session on Thursday, but the team is actively monitoring his legal situation.
“We’re disappointed to hear about Jonathon Cooper’s arrest on Thursday and will continue to assess this situation,” the team stated. Coach Sean Payton mentioned he had a “long discussion” with Cooper concerning the issue.
This recent arrest occurred just one week after he was taken into custody. He was initially arrested on June 4 in Parker, Colorado, following a physical altercation with his girlfriend. After being booked into the Douglas County Jail around 2:30 a.m. the next day, he faced two misdemeanor counts of domestic violence and an additional criminal misdemeanor charge.
Cooper and his girlfriend were involved in an incident where she took his cell phone, leading to a physical confrontation, as outlined in police documents.
When she took his phone and insisted on not returning it, an argument ensued. Cooper reportedly damaged her phone in the process by biting it. The argument escalated, resulting in the woman being hospitalized for injuries, and both ended up arrested for domestic violence.
Cooper appeared in court on Monday, where he pleaded not guilty to the previous charges.
At 28 years old, Cooper was drafted in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft and has spent six seasons with the Broncos. He has achieved 31 1/2 career sacks, with a personal best of 10 1/2 in the 2024 season. Recently, he signed a four-year contract extension worth $54 million.
