Tennessee Titans running back Julius Chestnut has accused Logan Cooke, punter for the Jacksonville Jaguars, of threatening his life during their game on December 3, 2023. The incident unfolded after Chestnut blocked Cooke while he attempted a trip on Titans returner Chimere Dike. This occurred at the end of a 47-yard return with 14:06 remaining in the game.
Cooke was subsequently evaluated for a concussion but returned to the field shortly after. Tensions escalated again when the two players confronted each other following a 13-yard return by Dike with 11:49 left on the clock. This led to a series of penalties as officials intervened, issuing unnecessary roughness calls to both teams. Cooke and long snapper Ross Matiscik were penalized, while Titans safety Mike Brown was ejected from the game. The Jaguars ultimately secured a decisive 25-3 victory.
Chestnut expressed his shock at Cooke’s words, stating, “I was just trying to play hard, and he came up to me and said he was going to kill me. So I don’t know what made him do that.” He added that he was taken aback by Cooke’s aggressive reaction, saying, “That was surprising to me. I ain’t never seen nothing like that before.”
Following the game, Cooke was not specifically asked about the alleged threat. A request for comment was made to the Jaguars organization on Sunday night. Cooke, who stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 230 pounds, commented on the game, indicating that he enjoys physical play. He acknowledged that Chestnut had “got the best of him” during what he termed an “eventful” match.
At halftime, Cooke approached the referee after a punting play from his own end zone, where a backup long snapper was used. He stated, “I might have said some things that sounded rude, so I wanted to go clear the air.” Cooke emphasized the importance of maintaining a good relationship with officials and clarified his perspective on the situation.
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen addressed Cooke’s unnecessary roughness penalty, suggesting that he should exhibit better judgment in such situations. Nonetheless, Coen praised his players for their competitive spirit and noted the frustrations stemming from the Titans’ aggressive plays, particularly related to the long snapper issue. He remarked, “I don’t know if it got called or not,” highlighting the contentious nature of the game.
The contest featured a total of 23 accepted penalties between the two AFC South teams, resulting in a significant 184 yards in penalties. The incidents on the field underscored the intensity of the rivalry as both teams battled for position in the division.
