Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper was arrested late Thursday night on suspicion of misdemeanor criminal mischief and domestic violence, according to jail records.
Cooper was arrested just after 11 p.m. MT by the Parker (Colo.) Police Department and was booked into the Douglas County Detention Center at 2:38 a.m. Friday, according to records. The 28-year-old was still in custody as of late Friday morning and has a court appearance scheduled for Monday morning.
The arrest stemmed from an incident between Cooper and his girlfriend of four years, who was also arrested, according to a police affidavit. Cooper’s girlfriend accused Cooper of cheating and threw his phone against a wall of Cooper’s apartment, according to the affidavit.
A physical struggle ensued after Cooper’s girlfriend retrieved the phone, the affidavit said. Cooper grabbed his girlfriend by the upper arm and got the phone back from her, the report states. Cooper admitted that when his girlfriend tried to regain possession of the phone, he braced his neck against hers to prevent her from getting the phone back, the affidavit said.
Cooper admitted to police that he told his girlfriend he would break her phone if she didn’t leave his apartment, according to the affidavit. He then bit her phone, causing “disabling damage.”
Cooper was being held on a $1,000 personal recognizance bond.
“We are aware of the matter and are gathering more information,” the Broncos said in a statement.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said, “We are aware of the matter and have been in contact with the club.”
Cooper, who is entering his sixth NFL season, was a seventh-round pick of the Broncos in 2021. He signed a four-year, $54 million contract extension with the Broncos in 2024. He has recorded at least eight sacks in each of the last three seasons, including a career-high 10.5 in 2024.