Jonathon Cooper
{{Short description|American football player (born 1998)}}
{{For|other persons with similar names|Jonathan Cooper (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Jonathon Cooper
| image = Jonathon Cooper (51651273515) (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Cooper with the Denver Broncos in 2021
| current_team = Denver Broncos
| number = 0
| position = Linebacker
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|1|8}}
| birth_place = Gahanna, Ohio, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| high_school = Lincoln (Gahanna)
| college = Ohio State (2016–2020)
| draftyear = 2021
| draftround = 7
| draftpick = 239
| pastteams =
- Denver Broncos ({{NFL Year|2021}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
- Second-team All-American (2020)
- Third-team All-Big Ten (2020)
| statseason = 2024
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Tackles
| statvalue1 = 216
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 = 23.5
| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue3 = 2
| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue4 = 3
| statlabel5 = Pass deflections
| statvalue5 = 3
| statlabel6 = Interceptions
| statvalue6 = 1
| statlabel7 = Touchdowns
| statvalue7 = 1
| pfr = CoopJo02
|weight_lbs=257}}
Jonathon Cooper (born January 8, 1998) is an American professional football linebacker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Early life
Cooper was born on January 8, 1998, in Gahanna, Ohio. His mother, Jessica Moorman, who was 17 years old at the time, was a high school student with college aspirations who worked a part-time job at an accounting firm. Initially, Moorman felt she was not ready for the responsibility of raising a child and planned to put Cooper up for adoption. However, after Cooper was born nine weeks premature and weighing only 4 pounds, she decided to raise him herself. After spending two months with Cooper in the intensive care unit, she would go on to graduate from high school and earn her college degree.{{Cite news |last=Kosmider |first=Nick |date=2024-09-16 |title=Broncos' Jonathon Cooper is breaking out, 3 years after his heart put NFL dream in doubt |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5764881/2024/09/14/denver-broncos-jonathon-cooper-nfl/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |work=The New York Times |language= |issn=0362-4331}}
Cooper began playing football at 6 years old, citing his mother's work ethic as a primary inspiration. Prior to beginning high school at Gahanna-Lincoln, Cooper and his mother created a workout circuit for him in their basement.
During his freshman year, Cooper was diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome, a rare heart condition that often manifests in an abnormally fast heartbeat.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-24 |title=Arrhythmias – Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome {{!}} NHLBI, NIH |url=https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/wolff-parkinson-white-syndrome |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=www.nhlbi.nih.gov |language=}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzWfTsvXb5o&ab_channel=DenverBroncos |title='This is me. This is what I went through': Jonathon Cooper details the cause behind his cleats |date=2021-12-01 |last=Denver Broncos |access-date=2025-04-02 |via=YouTube}}
College career
Cooper played college football at Ohio State University from 2016 to 2020.{{Cite web |last=Means |first=Stephen |date=April 14, 2021 |title=Can Ohio State football's Jonathon Cooper raise his NFL ceiling by switching from defensive end to linebacker? |url=https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2021/04/can-ohio-state-footballs-jonathon-cooper-raise-his-nfl-ceiling-by-switching-from-defensive-end-to-linebacker.html |access-date=May 19, 2023 |website=cleveland.com}}{{Cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Joey |date=March 31, 2021 |title=2021 NFL Draft: Jonathon Cooper, Baron Browning try out new positions at Ohio State pro day |url=https://www.buckeyextra.com/story/football/2021/03/31/ohio-state-pro-day-jonathon-cooper-baron-browning-show-versatility/4815676001/ |access-date=August 14, 2023 |website=Buckeye Xtra}}{{cite web | last=Rabinowitz | first=Bill | title=Ohio State DE Jonathon Cooper determined to make senior season special | website=The Columbus Dispatch | date=2020-10-30 | url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/football/2020/10/30/ohio-state-de-jonathon-cooper-determined-make-senior-season-special/6036384002/ | access-date=2024-10-19}} Over 45 games during his career, he had 75 tackles and 10 sacks.{{cite web | last=Stoia | first=George | title=Becoming Jonathon Cooper: How the Broncos rookie and Von Miller's mentee became the man his mother knew he could be | website=Colorado Springs Gazette | date=2021-11-05 | url=https://gazette.com/sports/broncos/becoming-jonathon-cooper-how-the-broncos-rookie-and-von-miller-s-mentee-became-the-man/article_538ac35e-3e47-11ec-8080-77d758b78b08.html | access-date=2024-10-19}} Cooper was the first Ohio State player to ever wear the number 0, which was awarded to him for his leadership qualities.
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 2 5/8
| weight = 253
| dash = 4.71
| ten split = 1.65
| twenty split = 2.78
| shuttle = 4.31
| cone drill = 7.02
| vertical = 33.0
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 0
| bench = 28
| arm span = 32 1/8
| hand span = 9 5/8
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1019045&DraftYear=2021 |title=Jonathon Cooper, Ohio State, DE, 2021 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football |website=draftscout.com |access-date=September 29, 2021}}
}}
Two days before the NFL draft, doctors discovered an atrial fibrillation in Cooper's heart. His heart rhythm was particularly abnormal, and would ultimately require three separate heart procedures to treat.{{Cite web |last=DiLalla |first=Aric |date=August 3, 2021 |title='Those heart surgeries were just another obstacle in my way': After getting through 'scary' offseason, Jonathon Cooper has sights set on making Broncos' roster |url=https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/those-heart-surgeries-were-just-another-obstacle-in-my-way-after-getting-through |access-date=August 3, 2021 |website=DenverBroncos.com}}
Heading into the 2021 NFL draft, Cooper expected to be picked somewhere between the third and fifth rounds. However, his health complications caused him to fall to the seventh round, where he was eventually drafted 239th overall by the Denver Broncos.{{Cite web |last=DiLalla |first=Aric |date=May 1, 2021 |title=Broncos select Ohio State OLB Jonathon Cooper with 239th-overall pick in 2021 NFL Draft |url=https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/jonathon-cooper-nfl-draft-outside-linebacker-ohio-state |access-date=August 14, 2023 |work=Denver Broncos}} Broncos general manager George Paton commented that he and his staff were aware of Cooper's health complications, but were enamored by his motor and leadership.
After missing rookie minicamp, OTAs, and mandatory minicamp due to the heart procedures, Cooper was finally cleared to attend training camp after being sidelined for a month. On June 15, 2021, he signed his four-year rookie contract with the Broncos.{{Cite web |last=Links |first=Zachary |date=June 15, 2021 |title=NFL Draft Pick Signings: 6/15/21 |url=https://www.profootballrumors.com/2021/06/nfl-draft-pick-signings-6-15-21 |access-date=August 14, 2023 |website=Pro Football Rumors}}
Ahead of the 2023 season, Cooper changed his jersey number from 53 to 0, the number he wore at Ohio State.{{cite web | last=Heath | first=Jon | title=Broncos give Brandon McManus' old jersey number to a cornerback | website=Yahoo! Sports | date=2023-06-13 | url=https://sports.yahoo.com/broncos-brandon-mcmanus-old-jersey-165336768.html | access-date=2025-04-13}} Cooper lead the Broncos in sacks in 2023, with eight and a half.{{Cite web |last=Legwold |first=Jeff |date=2024-11-04 |title=Broncos sign OLB Cooper to 4-year extension |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/42193622/source-broncos-sign-olb-jonathon-cooper-4-year-extension |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=ESPN.com |language=}}
On November 4, 2024, Cooper signed a four-year, $60 million extension with the Broncos after starting the season with five and a half sacks through nine games.{{Cite web |last=Kelberman |first=Zack |date=2024-11-04 |title=Report: Broncos Sign OLB Jonathon Cooper to Monster Deal |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/news/jonathon-cooper-four-year-contract-extension-details |access-date=2024-11-04 |website=Denver Broncos On SI |language=}}
On March 21, 2025, Cooper's contract was restructured to clear cap space.{{Cite web |last=Kelberman |first=Zack |date=2025-03-21 |title=Report: Broncos Redo Vet Deal, Create Millions in Cap Room |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/news/broncos-restructure-jonathon-cooper-contract-cap-savings |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=Denver Broncos On SI |language=}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
{{footballstats|yahoo=33627|espn=4040608|nfl=jonathon-cooper}}
- [https://www.denverbroncos.com/team/players-roster/jonathon-cooper/ Denver Broncos bio]
- [https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/roster/jonathon-cooper/ Ohio State Buckeyes bio]
{{Denver Broncos roster navbox}}
{{Broncos2021DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Jonathon}}
Category:Denver Broncos players
Category:American football defensive ends
Category:American football outside linebackers
Category:Lincoln High School (Gahanna, Ohio) alumni
Category:Ohio State Buckeyes football players
Category:Players of American football from Franklin County, Ohio