Heart of a Bronco
By John Calamari
Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper, from Gahanna, Ohio, is making his impact in the Broncos' special defense. Since his incredible four years at The Ohio State University, Jonathon Cooper has been an exceptional team player, accumulating some of the most impressive statistics amongst linebackers in the NFL. Despite the challenges he has faced, Jonathon has overcome them and has never given up.
Throughout Johnathon's life, he has battled serious heart issues. As a Kid Correspondent for Children's Hospital Colorado, I asked him about his cardiac journey. "Yeah, I have ... Wolff-Parkison-White syndrome (WPW), and yeah, I've had like six hard ablations. They went in there and just burned your heart," said Jonathon. As a fellow congenital heart disease patient, I had the opportunity to speak with him about how his CHD impacted his football career. These procedures typically limit a person's ability to participate in sports, but Jonathon fought hard and was selected in the NFL draft. While many teams were hesitant due to his heart condition, the Broncos took a gamble on Johnathon. "And then when I got drafted, I fell on the draft because of this hard stuff," he explained.
The NFL is a highly competitive and physically demanding league featuring world-class athletes. Even when games don't go his way or challenges come up, Jonathon fights through and never stops believing. "Believing is a huge part of this league, so you have to make sure you keep that energy on the sideline and stuff. So just never lose faith in each other. And you know, no matter how the game was swinging, we just knew we're still in it, and that's the key, man. Just never give up. Keep fighting."
Since the Broncos drafted him, he has been a devoted member of the team. When I asked Jonathon what it meant for him to be a part of the organization, he said, "Yeah, everything it means, everything to be a part of this team, a part of such a great organization with great owners and great, great people all around, great coaches. And then just the players, obviously, like my teammates, are the best people I've ever been around in my life. And I mean, they're really my brothers, and I can say them that way, and it's just been a lot of fun just being out there and going to war every Sunday with them."