Jonathon Cooper
Broncos linebacker who overcame heart issues to lead the team in sacks.
via Wikipedia: Jonathon Cooper · see source
Jonathon Cooper (born January 8, 1998) is an American professional football outside linebacker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Quick Facts
- Current team
- Denver Broncos
- Position
- Outside linebacker
- Born
- 8 January 1998
- Birthplace
- Gahanna, Ohio, U.S.
- High school
- Lincoln (Gahanna)
- College
- Ohio State (2016–2020)
- Draft year
- 2021
- Draft round
- 7
Lore & Background
Cooper was born on January 8, 1998, in Gahanna, Ohio. His mother, Jessica Moorman, was 17 at the time and initially planned to put him up for adoption, but after he was born nine weeks premature weighing 4 pounds, she decided to raise him. Cooper began playing football at age 6. During his freshman year of high school, he was diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome. He played college football at Ohio State from 2016 to 2020, recording 75 tackles and 10 sacks in 45 games. He was the first Ohio State player to ever wear the number 0, awarded for his leadership. Two days before the 2021 NFL draft, doctors discovered an atrial fibrillation in his heart, requiring three separate heart procedures. He was drafted 239th overall by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round. He signed his rookie contract on June 15, 2021. Ahead of the 2023 season, he changed his jersey number to 0. He led the Broncos in sacks in 2023 with 8.5. On November 4, 2024, he signed a four-year, $60 million extension. He had his first double-digit sack season in 2024 with 10.5. On March 21, 2025, his contract was restructured. He was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 6 after recording 2.0 sacks in a win against the New York Jets. On August 30, 2026, he was placed on the commissioner's exempt list due to ongoing domestic violence charges.
Reader's Guide
Jonathon Cooper is an outside linebacker for the Denver Broncos. He overcame a premature birth and a heart condition to be drafted in the seventh round. He wore number 0 at Ohio State and later with the Broncos. He led the team in sacks in 2023 and signed a major extension in 2024. In 2026, he faced legal issues involving domestic violence charges.
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