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It’s rare when anyone, much less an NFL player who has the guidance of legal counsel, breaks his silence days after a domestic violence arrest, but Denver Broncos edge rusher Jonathon Cooper has done just that, and there are surprises.
Cooper took to his Instagram account and posted a long scripture as one of his stories, which seems strange considering the allegations against him.
And then he apologized for his actions.
Cooper was arrested in Colorado around 11 p.m. Thursday and was held overnight on two counts of domestic violence and one felony after an incident with his girlfriend, who was also arrested for domestic violence.
Denver Broncos star Jonathon Cooper was arrested early Friday morning on suspicion of two counts of domestic violence and one felony in Colorado. (Courtesy of Douglas County Sheriff’s Office)
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Cooper, a sixth-year player with 31.5 career hits, appeared in a Douglas County courtroom Friday morning with his attorney, Harvey Steinberg. A follow-up plea hearing was tentatively scheduled for Monday, and the 6-foot-5, 251-pound Cooper was released on a personal recognizance bond.
And in the meantime, Cooper apologized.
He posted Bible verses on his Instagram stories about anger, then added his own message:
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“I realize posting a bible. (sic) Quote right after something very serious has happened doesn’t just mean everything is okay,” Cooper wrote. “I apologize to my family, my friends and my community.
“And so many others.”
Cooper added in another story: “I apologize. This situation is not who I am.”
The Scripture Cooper posted is a featured image of Ephesians 4:26-32.
It begins…
“Do not let your anger lead you to sin, and do not let the sun go down on your anger.”
Verses 31 and 32, which Cooper had also highlighted, read: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, together with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
A legal expert, who requested anonymity, told Pakinomist Sunday night that he would have advised Cooper to remain silent, including on social media.
He said this social media post could pose a challenge to Cooper’s legal team if a case goes to trial. He said prosecutors could conceivably use the apology as evidence, making it clear to a jury that not guilty (innocent) people have no reason to apologize.
Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper stands on the field before the game at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo., on Dec. 21, 2025. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)
That remains to be seen because many of these cases do not make it to the charging stage, much less to trial. And it’s much more rare when both parties are arrested on domestic abuse charges, which is what happened in this incident.
According to the arrest affidavit, Cooper’s girlfriend and Cooper argued over allegations of cheating.
She then grabbed Cooper’s phone, threw it, then picked it up and tried to go through it. Cooper allegedly made some kind of physical contact with her when he tried to take her phone back, according to the affidavit.
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Conflicting statements from the two witnesses (Cooper and his girlfriend) and a lack of bruises, scratches, or other credible evidence of physical contact led the responding officer to conclude that there was “no probable cause for charges of harassment or assault.”
Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper warms up before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Oct. 5, 2025. (Eric Hartline/Imagn Images)
However, Cooper admitted he caused “crippling damage” to his girlfriend’s phone when he bit it. Yeah, weird.
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The affidavit also includes allegations by the girlfriend that Cooper grabbed her by the throat, although the officer concluded that a “small mark on [her] throat did not seem to conform to the requirement [she] had been held up in the air by her neck by another person.”
The Broncos and the NFL are both aware of the incident.
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