Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper was arrested Thursday night on two counts of domestic violence and one count of criminal mischief, TMZ Sports has learned, the latest in a string of NFL players facing similar charges in 2026.
Cooper, 28, was taken into custody around 11 PM and booked into a Colorado detention facility at 2:38 AM. He is scheduled to appear before a judge Friday morning, with a follow-up hearing set for Monday. The circumstances leading to the arrest remain unclear.
The timing is hard to ignore. Cooper’s arrest comes less than two weeks after one of the league’s most alarming domestic violence cases in recent memory.
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs was arrested and booked into Brown County Jail on charges of strangulation and suffocation, battery-domestic abuse, criminal damage to property-domestic abuse, disorderly conduct-domestic abuse, and intimidation of a victim, the strangulation and suffocation charge carrying felony status, with the remaining four as misdemeanors.
Jacobs’ attorneys David Z. Chesnoff and Clarence Duchac said the 28-year-old denies all charges.
“Josh vehemently denies the allegations, and this matter is in the early stages of investigation with important evidence that has not yet been made public,” the attorneys’ statement read. “We ask for fairness and restraint while the judicial process takes its course.”
The Packers told CBS News: “We are aware of the matter involving Josh Jacobs. As it is an ongoing legal situation, we will withhold further comment.” The NFL said it was “aware of the report” and had been in contact with the club.
Jacobs is no fringe player. He racked up 929 yards and 13 touchdowns last season and would have likely crossed the 1,000-yard mark for the fifth time in his career if not for missing two games.
Atlanta Falcons rookie star James Pearce Jr. was arrested near Miami after fleeing officers and crashing his car following what police said was a domestic dispute with WNBA player Rickea Jackson. Pearce, the first-round pick who led the Falcons in sacks and finished third in NFL defensive rookie of the year voting, was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Pearce faced two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, as well as aggravated stalking, fleeing or eluding police with lights or siren, aggravated battery involving a law enforcement officer, and resisting an officer without violence.
The Falcons said in a statement: “We are aware of an incident involving James Pearce Jr. in Miami. We are in the process of gathering more information and will not have any further comment on an open legal matter at this time.” The case was ultimately resolved on the opening day of the 2026 NFL Draft, one year after the Falcons selected Pearce with the No. 26 pick, when he reached a deal to enter an intervention program and avoid jail.
Offensive lineman Shaq Mason was arrested following an alleged violent altercation with the mother of his child at her Franklin, Tennessee home, during which he allegedly forced entry, choked the victim, struck her, and sent a threatening message. He was apprehended during a traffic stop and held on a $150,000 bond, with orders for GPS monitoring and no contact with the victim.
Cooper’s case now joins that list. He was a seventh-round draft pick out of Ohio State in 2021, and like Jacobs and Pearce, had built into one of the more productive players at his position. Last season he posted 8 sacks and 50 combined tackles in 17 games, making him a cornerstone of Denver’s dominant defense.
Now, like several NFL players before him in recent months, he faces a far more serious fight off the field.
Domestic violence is the highest criminal charge among NFL player arrests, accounting for 55% of total arrests made. The league has faced mounting criticism for its handling of such cases, and with Cooper’s arrest, the conversation is unlikely to quiet down anytime soon.
