Broncos linebacker Jonathan Cooper placed on NFL exempt list after multiple domestic-violence arrests

Jonathan Cooper, a starting linebacker for the Denver Broncos, has been moved to the NFL commissioner’s exempt list, barring him from practice and games while allowing attendance at meetings. The decision follows a series of arrests in June, beginning with a joint arrest with his girlfriend for criminal mischief and later escalating to felony second-degree assault, third-degree assault, protective-order violation, and harassment charges after prosecutors said his girlfriend suffered serious injuries consistent with strangulation.

Cooper entered a not-guilty plea and is scheduled for an arraignment in a Douglas County courtroom. The exemption removes him from the Broncos’ 53-man roster limit ahead of the cut-down deadline. Coach Sean Payton emphasized adherence to league and team protocols and expressed continued support while the investigation proceeds.