Broncos LB Jonathon Cooper arrested again over alleged protection order breach

Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper was arrested Thursday night in Englewood, Colorado, on allegations that he violated a protection order and committed harassment, according to court records. It was the second time this month the 28-year-old has been taken into custody, following a June 4 arrest in Parker, Colorado. The NFL said the matter remains under review under the league’s personal conduct policy.

Court records list new charges of harassment tied to repeated phone calls and a violation of a protection order. Records show the protection order was filed earlier in the week for Cooper’s girlfriend after additional charges were added to the June 4 case.

Cooper pleaded not guilty on Monday to the initial misdemeanor domestic violence charges, according to court records. Douglas County District records also list an added felony count of second-degree assault by strangulation and an additional misdemeanor count of third-degree assault, described as knowingly or recklessly causing bodily injury.

In legal documents, Cooper is identified as Jonathan Javier Cooper.

New arrest allegation and bond conditions

According to the arrest affidavit, Cooper allegedly sent 20 messages and made two unanswered phone calls to his girlfriend on Thursday before going to her apartment and knocking on her door. The affidavit said she called 911 and Cooper left before officers arrived.

Police later went to Cooper’s home, where officers said he told them he had not been served with the protection order. During a Friday morning appearance in Douglas County, Cooper was released on a personal recognizance bond and ordered to comply with a stricter “no contact” protection order, according to court records.

The court also required Cooper to obtain approval for any travel outside of Colorado. Court dates listed include motions hearings on July 6 in the original case and July 14 in the newer case, with trial in the June 4 matter scheduled to begin July 22.

Team and league response as the case proceeds

The Broncos said in a statement Friday that the club was disappointed to learn of the arrest and was continuing to review the matter. An NFL spokesperson said the league would continue to monitor developments, with the matter under review under the personal conduct policy.

Broncos coach Sean Payton said he had a long visit with Cooper about the arrest after the team’s Thursday OTA practice. Officials said Cooper has been in attendance in the team’s offseason program, including Thursday’s practice.

Court documents described the June 4 episode as an argument and physical confrontation involving damaged cellphones, with separate affidavits reflecting different accounts from Cooper and his girlfriend. A newer affidavit included information from a hospital exam in which a nurse wrote that Cooper’s girlfriend experienced an injury from being choked that created a substantial risk of death or significant injury, including the possibility of traumatic brain injury.

A separate affidavit from the June 4 arrest said marks observed were not consistent with an assault and that a nurse examination had been recommended.

Cooper was selected by Denver in the seventh round of the 2021 draft and is set to enter his sixth NFL season. The next scheduled steps in the legal process are the July 6 and July 14 motions hearings and the July 22 trial date in the original case, alongside any league review.