NFL punter who was accused of threatening to kill opponent is nominated for prestigious Payton award
Logan Cooke was at the center of allegations after Sunday's game between the Jaguars and Titans
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jacksonville Jaguars punter Logan Cooke was named the team's nominee for the NFL's 2025 Walter Payton Man of The Year Award.
The award recognizes a player's "excellence on and off the field" and is considered by some to be the league's most prestigious honor. Cooke was accused of threatening to "kill" an opposing player in the last week.
The allegations were made after Jacksonville's 25-3 win over the Tennessee Titans Sunday.
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Jacksonville Jaguars placekicker Cam Little (39) celebrates a field goal against the Tennessee Titans with Logan Cooke, left, during the first half Nov. 30, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)
Titans running back Julius Chestnut alleged Cooke threatened him in the fourth quarter. During a punt in that quarter, Cooke tripped punt returner Chimere Dike at the end of a 47-yard return with 14:06 left in the game. Cooke was hurt and evaluated for a concussion before he returned for a punt later in the quarter.
Players from both teams got into another scuffle at the end of another Dike return with 11:49 left in the game. It led to a scuffle between Chestnut and Cooke. Cooke was among those penalized for unnecessary roughness. Titans safety Mike Brown was ejected.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I was just trying to play hard, and he came up to me and said he was going to kill me," Chestnut said after the game. "So, I don't know what made him do that."
Chestnut said he never got an explanation as to why Cooke was upset at him.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tennessee Titans safety Mike Brown (44) runs into Jacksonville Jaguars punter Logan Cooke (9) during the second half at Nissan Stadium Nov. 30, 2025. (Steve Roberts/Imagn Images)
"That was surprising to me. I ain't never seen nothing like that before," Chestnut said.
Cooke wasn’t asked specifically about his heated moment with Chestnut. He said after the game he enjoys hitting people and that Chestnut got the better of him during the "eventful" game.
Cooke acknowledged that he made "rude" comments to the referee after the game.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I might have said some things that sounded rude, so I wanted to go clear the air," Cooke said of his talk with the referee. "I don’t like people having grudges against me. So, kind of telling him the situation and also find out his take on what happened on that play in the end zone."
Cooke, a Pro Bowler last season, has been with the Jaguars for eight years. Jacksonville selected him in the seventh round of the 2018 draft.
Users on social media had mixed reactions to Cooke's nomination in the days after the allegation.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"WP[M]OY nominee out here threatening to off his opponents," one user wrote.
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Another user wrote, "Well deserved, hes been killing it on and off the field."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Houston Texans nominated linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair for the prestigious award. Al-Shaair was criticized last season when he delivered an illegal hit on Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Travis Kelce, Derrick Henry, Baker Mayfield and Jordan Love are among the other 32 players nominated for the award this year.
Fox News Digital's Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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