Sports
ESPN’s ‘Football Power Index’ Is Not Sold on the Vikings
Every June, ESPN releases its FPI — Football Power Index — a thermometer of each team’s ranking before the regular season. This go-around, the metric claims the Minnesota Vikings are the league’s 19th-best team and on tap for an 8-9 record.
Yes, it’s a fancy way of saying the most powerful sports network in the world believes the Vikings are mid.
Brian Flores Should Give Vikings a Better Case Than No. 19
ESPN FPI: Vikings at No. 19
FPI rankings are out, and the Vikings are sandwiched between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 18) and the Indianapolis Colts (No. 20). ESPN argues that Minnesota is the NFL’s 19th-best team with the ninth-worst offense. The metric basically does not trust Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy.
Defense is a different story — thank goodness. ESPN FPI placed Minnesota at No. 7 defensively, which is actually a bit low because the Vikings ranked third-best in the league per EPA/Play and DVOA last season.
On special teams, Minnesota pulled down the No. 8 spot, probably because kicker Will Reichard was an All-Pro in 2025. And via strength of schedule, it was No. 16 for the Vikings — smack dab in the middle.
All told, FPI claims that Minnesota has a 29.1% chance of reaching the postseason.
What Is FPI?
New to FPI? That’s fair; it’s not overly popular. Here’s how ESPN describes the stat:
At its core, NFL FPI is a prediction system for the NFL. Each team’s FPI rating is composed of a predicted offensive, defensive and special teams efficiency, as measured by expected points added per play, and that rating is the basis for FPI’s game-level and season-level projections. Other information included in the preseason ratings include: previous years’ efficiencies for each unit, number of returning starters (on offense and defense), coaching/coordinator/quarterback changes and quarterback injuries.
After combining all of these factors, a preseason FPI rating is determined for each team, which represents the points above or below average a team is expected to be in the coming season. Preseason FPI will serve as the basis of the early-season predictions but will diminish in effect as the season progresses and we learn more about the actual strength of each team.
FPI calls the Los Angeles Rams the top dog in the NFL — most do — with the Buffalo Bills a distant second.
ESPN’s Seth Walder noted on the NFC North specifically, “The NFC North trio of the Bears, Packers and Vikings rank 10th, 14th and 16th in strength of schedule, respectively. But the Lions rank 31st. Detroit lucked out after finishing last in the division in 2025, as its fourth-place schedule differ significantly from its NFC North rivals.”
“Though the other three teams must battle with NFC West heavyweights, the Lions face the Cardinals. Same deal (to less of an extreme) in facing the AFC South — the rest of the division has to face one of the Texans, Colts and Jaguars, while the Lions play the Titans. Detroit also will face the Giants, and the Bears and Packers will have to tangle with the Eagles and Cowboys, respectively.”
The 2024 Warning
At this time on the calendar in 2024, the Vikings ranked 25th per ESPN FPI. How did they respond? The club won 14 games during Sam Darnold’s rebirth season and almost pulled off an NFC North crown if not for a lousy game at Detroit in Week 18.
FPI is a wonderful guideline for how teams might fare in an upcoming season, but it obviously is not gospel. It also fluctuates. For example, if Minnesota wins its first few games in September, it will climb into the FPI Top 10, and few will remember the 19th ranking from June.
Another club that might be ranked too low? The New Orleans Saints. They sit at No. 25 per FPI. New Orleans finished the 2025 campaign strong, and some are high on quarterback Tyler Shough’s upside.
It’s the Defense, Stupid.
Flores has quietly assembled one of the NFL’s most formidable defenses in Minnesota. Consider the Vikings’ defensive EPA/Play rankings since Flores’s arrival:
2023: 17th
2024: 1st
2025: 3rd
2023–2025 overall: 2nd
The data reveals a noteworthy trend: over three years, Minnesota has boasted the NFL’s second-best defense by EPA/Play under Flores’s leadership.
The accomplishment should not be overlooked. Regardless of the Vikings’ offensive performance in 2026, the defense is already strong enough to contend for a Super Bowl. Unfortunately, the team’s inconsistent offense has overshadowed this larger narrative. In one season, the offense might struggle to find its rhythm; in another, it falters critically when it matters most. All the while, the defense performs at a high level.
Flores now possesses the talent, reputation, and track record to demonstrate that ESPN’s No. 19 ranking is undervalued. Barring an unforeseen collapse, Minnesota is poised to once again feature one of the league’s elite defensive units. It’s what Flores does.
The Vikings don’t need to aspire to a championship-caliber defense; they already have one.
Emanuel Steward always backed one man to win a fantasy showdown between Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, which is still fiercely debated within boxing circles.
Many consider Ali to be the greatest heavyweight of all time, while few would back against a prime ‘Iron Mike’ with any real certainty.
The Brooklyn knockout artist seemed an unstoppable force in his early 20s, claiming his first world title with a blistering second-round finish over Trevor Berbick in 1986.
Even as the reigning WBC champion, Tyson’s air of invincibility showed no signs of faltering until he suddenly lost to James ‘Buster’ Douglas in 1990.
The stunning 10th-round stoppage is still considered one of the greatest sporting upsets, yet Tyson eventually rebuilt his career and returned to the highest level.
Like Tyson, Ali possessed razor-sharp footwork and reflexes, especially for a heavyweight, but, unlike Tyson, was a far more active operator in the later rounds.
This extraordinary gas tank contributed to iconic victories over the likes of Joe Frazier and George Foreman, enhancing his legacy as quite possibly ‘The Greatest’.
For this reason, and while also considering Tyson’s disadvantages from a physical and mental perspective, legendary coach Steward could never look beyond an Ali victory.
In a resurfaced clip, the all-time great trainer analysed the nuances of a prime-for-prime battle between the pair.
“Mike is one of the most amazing men, and I have so much respect for [him]. The fact he accomplished what he did, it’s amazing.
“Sometimes he lost when he fought big guys, who were talented guys who weren’t intimidated by him. He was really nothing much more than a cruiserweight fighting these super-heavyweights.
“I think Ali would’ve won the fight, because I thought he had too much boxing skills and physical size, and just all-round generalship.
“As he tired physically and mentally, [Tyson] had problems in the later rounds. Ali actually fought better in the later rounds.”
Many would agree that Ali had the intelligence and durability to defeat a prime Tyson who, as Steward suggested, would not have had much success in the game of mental warfare.
Powershift won a race at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby day. But it was a maiden race and not the one that his connections hoped he would win — the Derby. But now, this talented but lightly raced Todd Pletcher trainee will get his shot at Triple Crown glory when he leaves the starting gate in the 2026 Belmont Stakes. Bet Powershift and the entire Belmont Stakes at TwinSpires with promo code CBSSPORTS. You’ll get a special $400 signup bonus, double the regular offer:
2 Powershift (12-1)
- Trainer: Todd Pletcher
- Jockey: Luis Saez
- Last race: First in a maiden special race by 2¾ lengths
- Career record: 3 starts: 1 win, 1 second
- Career earnings: $81,896
- Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 96 (maiden special weight)
- Sire: Constitution
Below, we’ll dig further into Powershift as part of our series profiling all the horses competing in the 158th Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 6. We’ll look back into his past performances, what questions need to be answered Saturday and analyze how the post draw affects his chances.
1 Vitruvian Man | 2 Powershift | 3 Chief Wallabee | 4 Renegade | 5 Ottinho | 6 Growth Equity | 7 Commandment | 8 Emerging Market | 9 Golden Tempo
Now that you know who’s in the field, you’ll want to know how to bet the Belmont Stakes on the top horse racing betting apps. Land a special $400 signup bonus with the TwinSpires promo code CBSSPORTS now:
What to know about Powershift
After the pace collapse in the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont Stakes is shaping up to be a crawl.
Of the 41 races run by the nine Belmont Stakes horses in their careers, only one race featured one of these horses on the lead (Ocelli in a maiden race on Dec. 31). None of these horses do their best running on the lead.
The biggest beneficiary of the dearth of speed is Powershift. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Powershift has raced just three times. In his debut, he was outdueled by Emerging Market at Tampa Bay Downs in a race that almost broke the track record. After coming back on short rest in his second start (a sixth in the Tampa Bay Derby), Powershift broke his maiden on the Kentucky Derby undercard in which he stalked soft fractions.
The TimeformUS early pace figures say that Powershift has the best early foot in the race and should be the one setting the pace early. Though he has never been on the lead in his life, that could be an advantageous spot in a race without any other pace. In addition, the dirt track at Saratoga has been friendly to speed horses on the rail this week, which is exactly what Powershift should be on Saturday.
He’s 12-1 on the morning line at DK Horse and 1/ST BET, but he’s a lightly raced horse who’s fast, improving and holds a tactical edge on the rest of the Belmont field, which makes him a live longshot on Saturday.
Post draw analysis
With his early foot and no other speed in the race, Powershift should be the early pacesetter when the horses cross the start/finish line for the first time, especially from this No. 2 post. Jockey Luis Saez is dangerous on horses with speed, and if the others allow Powershift a loose lead under moderate fractions, he could take this field a long way.
Sports
Lionesses blown away How Lionesses were blown away by ruthless Spain in major blow to Women’s World Cup qualification hopesby ruthless Spain in
England’s hopes for direct qualification into next year’s Women’s World Cup suffered a significant blow after a dominant Spain side inflicted a resounding 4-0 defeat in Mallorca.
The Lionesses, who had entered the match leading qualifying Group A3 with a perfect record of four wins, found themselves trailing early when Patri Guijarro opened the scoring for the hosts.
Alexia Putellas then netted twice, either side of the half-time whistle, before Claudia Pina completed Spain’s ruthless display.
The emphatic victory propels Spain to the top of the group, drawing them level with England on 12 points after five matches played.
The heavy loss for Sarina Wiegman’s squad means the race for direct entry into the tournament in Brazil will now go down to the wire.
England must secure a result against Ukraine at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday, while Spain face Iceland in their final group fixture.
In the absence of the injured Leah Williamson, Keira Walsh captained England, having an early cross comfortably gathered by Cata Coll.
However, Spain enjoyed the early share of possession and Lucia Corrales sent a menacing cross in for Putellas, but her header bounced past the post.
Putellas hit a curling delivery into Edna Imade which Hannah Hampton was able to save before England had an opportunity, with Walsh blasting an effort from outside of the area narrowly over the crossbar.
Spain continued to control proceedings, taking the lead 19 minutes in when Guijarro weaved into the middle of the pitch from the left flank and from around 25 yards out, the Barcelona midfielder slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
Hampton held Imade’s header as the hosts looked to quickly strike and the England goalkeeper was called into action again to comfortably hold Putellas’ effort after the Spanish midfielder had been played into space on the edge of the box.
Lauren James’ cross flew across the face of goal, but Spain took charge again as Vicky Lopez surged into the area and Lotte Wubben-Moy intervened.
The hosts doubled their advantage in the 37th minute when Mariona Caldentey threaded the ball into Putellas, who fired home despite Hampton getting a hand to the shot.
England had an opportunity after the break when Georgia Stanway blasted a strike past the post, but Spain soon extended their lead further in the 55th minute.
Putellas had an initial effort well stopped on the goal line by Lucy Bronze, but the ball bounced off the post and the Spain forward reacted quickly to pounce and stab home her second of the night.
The home side continued to pile on the pressure as Hampton made a stunning save to tip away Guijarro’s header and Lopez blasted an effort into the side-netting.
England searched for a response, with Alex Greenwood’s cross palmed away by Coll and the ball fell to Bronze, but her attempt was blocked.
Substitute Aitana Bonmati made an instant impact from the bench to set up Pina, who fired the ball into the bottom corner in the 78th minute.
Bonmati nearly added to a ruthless Spanish performance in the final minutes after she forced Hampton into a save at her near post.
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Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa made history on Friday as he became the first Indian to win the Norway Chess title. The 20-year-old chess star defeated Germany’s Vincent Keymer to conclude his campaign on a memorable note. Praggnanandhaa, who started the day in third place with 15 points, stepped up at the right moment and won his classical game, earning three crucial points. This took his total to 18 points and helped him win one of the most prestigious titles in elite chess. With this victory, the Chennai-born star achieved something that even Indian legend Viswanathan Anand and current world champion D Gukesh had not managed since the tournament began in 2013.
Competing in Norway Chess for only the second time, Praggnanandhaa endured a slow start in the elite six-player field before gathering momentum in the second half of the event.
His campaign was highlighted by a remarkable achievement — defeating seven-time Norway Chess champion and World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen twice in classical chess — a rare accomplishment that underlined his determination to bounce back from the disappointment of an underwhelming Candidates Tournament in Paphos earlier this year.
As reigning world champion Gukesh fell out of contention in the closing stages, Praggnanandhaa ensured that India’s challenge remained alive, ultimately carrying it all the way to the title.
The result was made possible after American Grandmaster Wesley So, who led the standings with 15.5 points heading into the final round, was held to a draw in his classical game against Alireza Firouzja, sending their contest into an Armageddon tie-break.
That outcome opened the door for Praggnanandhaa, who knew that a classical victory over Keymer would propel him to the top of the standings and secure a landmark title.
Although Wesley So went on to win the Armageddon tie-break, the victory was worth only 1.5 points, taking his tally to 17 points — one short of Praggnanandhaa’s winning total of 18.
Alireza, who had also entered the final round with title hopes, finished third with 15.5 points.
Meanwhile, Gukesh’s disappointing campaign continued as his third appearance in the tournament ended without the breakthrough he had hoped for in a year when he is set to defend his world title against challenger Javokhir Sindarov.
In the final round, Carlsen, playing with the white pieces, defeated the 20-year-old Indian in a classical game to collect three full points. However, the victory was not enough to propel the Norwegian great into title contention, as he finished fifth in the standings with 13 points.
(With PTI Inputs)
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May 6, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager (5) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images The Texas Rangers formally activated star shortstop Corey Seager from the 10-day injured list Friday and he’s expected to be in the lineup for their home game against the Cleveland Guardians.
Seager was on the IL due to lower back inflammation. He last appeared in a game on May 13.
The 32-year-old is batting just .179 this season and is hitless in a career-worst 27 consecutive at-bats. He has seven home runs and 20 RBIs in 42 games.
Seager is in his fifth season with Texas and was named World Series MVP in 2023 when the Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in five games. He was the runner-up for regular-season MVP honors behind Shohei Ohtani, then of the Los Angeles Angels.
Seager also was World Series MVP with the champion Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020. He is a five-time All-Star.
The Rangers also activated outfielder Wyatt Langford from the 10-day IL prior to Friday’s game.
Langford sustained a forearm flexor strain in April and last played for Texas on April 21. He was batting .238 with one homer and four RBIs in 20 games this season. Last year, he registered 22 home runs, 62 RBIs and 22 steals in 134 games.
Langford, 24, began a rehab assignment at Round Rock on Saturday. He was 2-for-10 with a homer, two RBIs and five walks in four minor league games. Texas also formally optioned outfielder Alejandro Osuna, 23, and utility man Cody Freeman, 25, to Triple-A Round Rock and designated outfielder Sam Haggerty, 32, for assignment.
Osuna batted .253 with nine RBIs in 37 games, while Freeman was 1-for-2 in his lone game on Wednesday. Haggerty, who batted .159 with one RBI in 35 games for the Rangers, was activated from the bereavement list while being DFA’d.
Texas also signed right-hander Josh Sborz to a minor league deal with Round Rock. Sborz, 32, went 13-12 with a 4.86 ERA in 143 appearances (one start) for Texas from 2021-24.
–Field Level Media
Mar 20, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; Alabama State Hornets guard Amarr Knox (1) shoots the ball against Auburn Tigers forward Ja’Heim Hudson (8) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images Four players on the 2024-25 Alabama State men’s basketball team committed sports betting integrity violations, the NCAA announced on Friday.
Amarr Knox, Shawn Fulcher, Corey Hines and Tony Madlock engaged in game manipulation on Dec. 5, 2024, when Southern Miss, a six-point favorite, pulled away in the second half and defeated the Hornets, 81-64.
In NCAA enforcement staff interviews with Knox, he reported that Fulcher put the four players in a group chat with known bettors. Madlock informed the bettors that he was injured and would not play. The bettors offered the players a total of $2,000 to throw the game. The players accepted and were subsequently paid.
Alabama State in fact led the game 33-30 at halftime, but shot only 23 of 71 (32.4%) on the day, compared to 30-of-60 (50%) efficiency by Southern Miss.
The Hornets won seven of their final eight games of the regular season, captured the SWAC tournament title and defeated Saint Francis in a First Four game of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Knox hit the game-winning layup with one second remaining, giving the program its first NCAA Division I Tournament victory in program history.
In January 2026, the bettors were indicted on charges of wire fraud and bribery related to sports contests by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. In addition, Hines and Fulcher, who both failed to cooperate and provided false information to the enforcement staff, were also indicted by the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Madlock, who had exhausted his college eligibility, declined to take part in an interview with the enforcement staff.
None of the players competed on a college team last season. Barring the assistance of an NCAA school, Hines, Fulcher and Knox cannot be reinstated.
–Field Level Media
![Soren Kjeldsen reacts to missing a birdie putt on 12 during the final round of the Furyk & Friends PGA Tour Champions event held at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville, Fl., Sunday October 5, 2025. Tommy Gainey won the tournament by shooting -14. Cameron Percy placed second with -12. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-1200,fo-auto/27255234.jpg)
Soren Kjeldsen reacts to missing a birdie putt on 12 during the final round of the Furyk & Friends PGA Tour Champions event held at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville, Fl., Sunday October 5, 2025. Tommy Gainey won the tournament by shooting -14. Cameron Percy placed second with -12. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] Freddie Jacobson of Sweden and Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark teamed up for a 12-under-par 59 to set the pace at the American Family Insurance Championship, the PGA Tour Champions’ only team event, on Friday in Madison, Wis.
Jacobson and Kjeldsen lead by a single stroke over two teams, Brian Gay and Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini and Australians Richard Green and Mark Hensby. Germany’s Bernhard Langer and New Zealand’s Steven Alker made a push late in the day and finished at 10-under 61, tied with Aussies Cameron Percy and Greg Chalmers.
The three-day event at TPC Wisconsin introduced the team format last year. The first and final rounds will be four ball (best ball), while Saturday’s second round will be a scramble.
The Nordic leaders got off to a fast start when Kjeldsen converted an eagle at the par-5 second hole. They went on to card 10 birdies, Jacobson responsible for six of them.
“We sort of alternated nicely, like one guy made a putt and then the next guy, and Freddie was sort of on fire middle of the round,” Kjeldsen said. “Yeah, we built up that momentum that you really need in this format.”
Kjeldsen tied for second at this event last year with a different playing partner, Alex Cejka of Germany.
Sabbatini, who turned 50 in April, is looking for his first win on the PGA Tour Champions. He and Gay previously played together at the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans and finished third in that team event in 2019.
They started on the back nine, where Gay converted seven birdies by himself for a nine-hole score of 28. “Brian was obviously, as they say in Vegas, he was on a heater, so I stayed out of his way and let Seabiscuit run, and he did,” Sabbatini said. “He fired 28 on the back nine, which was our front, by himself. I just sat there and watched. It was kind of fun for me.”
Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland won the tournament last year playing with Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn. Bjorn wasn’t available this year, so Clarke teamed up with Ben Crane. They opened with a 9-under 62 and are tied for sixth.
The team of Stewart Cink and Zach Johnson — who’ve combined for five wins on tour this year — settled for a 6-under 65 to open.
–Field Level Media
The 158th Belmont Stakes goes to post on Saturday, but with a fresh twist. Relocated to historic Saratoga Race Course while Belmont Park undergoes renovations, the third leg of the Triple Crown will be run at 1¼ miles, matching the Kentucky Derby distance. The nine-horse Belmont Stakes field features a strong Derby rematch. Renegade, the 2-1 Belmont Stakes 2026 odds favorite, can avenge his second-place finish at the Kentucky Derby, with Derby winner Golden Tempo in the field. Post time is set for 7:04 p.m. ET. Bet the Belmont Stakes with the TwinSpires promo code CBSSPORTS and get an exclusive $400 bonus, double the regular offer:
Renegade leads a strong group of Belmont Stakes contenders. Chief Wallabee (3-1), Golden Tempo (9-2), Commandment (6-1) and Emerging Market (6-1) are all solidly in the mix as well. Before making any 2026 Belmont Stakes picks, you’ll want to see the 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions from SportsLine’s Michelle Yu.
She started off 2025 by correctly going all-in on Citizen Bull to win the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, and she also predicted Forever Young’s win in the Saudi Cup, Journalism’s win in the San Felipe Stakes, Sandman’s win in the Arkansas Derby and Mindframe’s win in the Churchill Downs Stakes. She also hit the exacta in the 2025 Kentucky Derby. In August she hit the Fierceness-Journalism exacta in the Pacific Classic, and in March 2026 she nailed the Renegade-Silent Tactic-Taptastic trifecta in the Arkansas Derby.
Now, with the 2026 Belmont Stakes post positions set and odds on the board, Yu is sharing her 2026 Belmont Stakes betting picks and 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions over at SportsLine. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2026 Belmont Stakes predictions
One surprise: Yu is fading Chief Wallabee at 3-1, one of the premier Belmont Stakes 2026 contenders. Wallabee trainer Bill Mott has a long and storied history at Saratoga. His horse, Sovereignty, won the 2025 Belmont Stakes.
But Chief Wallabee has had four career races. In order, he’s finished first, then second, then third, then fourth. Perhaps more important, the horse’s speed rating has gone down, if only slightly, in all four races. That’s enough for Wu to look at other horses when choosing her top Belmont Stakes picks. See which other 2026 Belmont Stakes horses to back at SportsLine.
How to make 2026 Belmont Stakes picks
Instead, Yu’s top pick is a horse who should be “effective” regardless of the pace. She’s also high on a massive double-digit longshot who “should sit a lovely trip.” She’s sharing which 2026 Belmont Stakes horses to back at SportsLine.
So who wins the 2026 Belmont Stakes? What double-digit longshot is a must-back, and how has Yu constructed her wagers? Visit SportsLine to see Yu’s picks for the Belmont Stakes, all from the Santa Anita-based racing insider who has a long history of success in the Belmont Stakes, and find out.
2026 Belmont Stakes odds, post positions
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Denver Broncos star Jonathon Cooper and his girlfriend were both arrested on domestic violence charges on Friday.
Both Cooper and his girlfriend were held on suspicion of two counts of domestic violence and one count of criminal mischief, according to Douglas County jail records.
An argument broke out between the two over cheating allegations, according to TMZ.
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(Left) Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) looks on after a defensive play in the overtime period of the AFC Divisional Round game against the Buffalo Bills at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, on Jan. 17, 2026. (Right) Denver Broncos star Jonathon Cooper was arrested early Friday morning on suspicion of two counts of domestic violence and one count of criminal mischief in Colorado. (Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images; Courtesy of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office)
The pair, who have been seeing each other on and off for years, were hanging out at Cooper’s residence when she confronted him over his alleged infidelity. The woman grabbed Cooper’s phone and threw it against a wall, and then eventually regained control of the device to go through it, the arrest affidavit said, according to TMZ.
Cooper and the woman then struggled for the phone, which Cooper eventually retrieved after a physical struggle. He then demanded that the woman leave his home, or he allegedly told her he would break her cell phone, the probable cause affidavit said, per TMZ.
After the woman did not leave, he bit down and broke the screen on the iPhone, according to the affidavit.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Denver Broncos star Jonathon Cooper was arrested early Friday morning on suspicion of two counts of domestic violence and one count of criminal mischief in Colorado. (Courtesy of Douglas County Sheriff’s Office)
Cooper had a hearing at 9:45 a.m. in a Douglas County courtroom, and a follow-up hearing will be held on Monday, when Cooper is expected to enter a plea, according to 9NEWS.
Following the hearing, Cooper was released on a personal recognizance bond, according to 9NEWS’ report.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Broncos and Cooper’s agency for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
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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)
Cooper, 28, has been with the Broncos since they drafted him out of Ohio State in the seventh round of the NFL Draft, and he has spent all five seasons of his career with Denver.
In 17 games last season, Cooper recorded 50 tackles and eight sacks and was a key member of the Broncos’ stout defense. In his career, Cooper has played 81 games, recording 266 tackles and 31.5 sacks.
The Broncos signed him to a four-year, $60 million contract extension in November 2024.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
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