Last week, Broncos pass rusher Jonathon Cooper was arrested on two counts of domestic violence and one count of criminal mischief. His first court appearance took place today.
Copper has entered a not guilty plea on all charges, as noted by 9News’ Mike Klis. A motion hearing in this case has now been scheduled for July 6. Cooper’s attorney, Harvey Steinberg, requested a trial date as soon as possible, Klis adds. A trial hearing is set to take place on July 22 in Douglas County Court. Steinberg said (via Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post) no motion to dismiss the case is being planned.
The scheduled trial date falls just before the start of the Broncos’ training camp. By the time padded practices begin, the team will hope to have further clarity on Cooper’s situation (although any potential league discipline will not be issued until an NFL investigation takes place; that process will not begin before the legal proceedings conclude). The 28-year-old was arrested following an alleged incident involving his girlfriend, who was also taken into custody. Cooper was released on a personal recognizance bond Friday.
Since being drafted by the Broncos in 2021, Cooper has established himself as an effective contributor off the edge. The former seventh-rounder played on a rotational basis during his first two years in Denver but has served as a full-time starter ever since. Cooper has amassed 27 sacks since 2023, something which helped him secure a $60MM extension the following season.
As a result of that deal, Cooper is under contract through 2028. He declined comment upon leaving the courthouse on Monday. The Broncos issued a statement indicating they were “gathering more information” on the matter shortly after Cooper’s arrest.
Obviously charges will be dismissed. They always are for football players because they are such special people.
Please someone call the phone currently in his digestive system.
If he ate the girl’s arm holding phone and is exposed when the prosecutor calls with Cooper on the witness stand, it’ll be the weirdest combination of John Grisham and Jurassic Park III that I logically could have expected to see.
Disney is going to sue him for muscling in on their remake pipeline.
He’s one of the few I think is innocent. She’s the troublemaker, not him.