Three-year NFL veteran and safety for the Cleveland Browns, Ronnie Hickman, was assaulted by a group of four individuals following a confrontation in the lobby of a Sixty Les hotel located on Allen Street in Manhattan, New York. The incident occurred at approximately 4:30 am after a group of individuals, who remain unidentified, approached Hickman shortly after he entered the building.
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According to the local authorities who originally spoke with the New York Post, police are actively investigating the matter, as well as whether or not Hickman’s status as a professional athlete had any influence in their decision to approach him. “The suspects slugged Hickman and took off,” the official report states.
The franchise itself confirmed that Hickman “was a victim of assault early Monday morning at a New York City hotel,” and a personal representative of the Ohio State product also informed the post that “Ronnie was treated for minor injuries at an area hospital after the incident, was later released, and is home resting with his family.”
The incident, unfortunately, comes right after Hickman had managed to enjoy a career-defining breakout. After recording just 70 total tackles with the Browns throughout all of 2023 and 2024, he managed to finally become a full-time starter in 2025.
With the laundry list of the #Browns unrestricted free agents, I’m happy Ronnie Hickman is a restricted FA
Among 2025 Safeties with 1k snaps per PFF
-7th best defensive grade (71.6)
-2nd best coverage grade (75.3)
-Tied 3rd lowest passer rating (66.8)
pic.twitter.com/xp7BmkILcU— Mac🦬 (@tha_buffalo) February 12, 2026
The 2023 undrafted free agent tallied 103 combined tackles throughout his 17 starts this past season, snagging two interceptions and deflecting seven passes along the way. At this time, police have admitted that no arrests have been made and that all four of the primary suspects remain at large.
Staff members who were on site at the time of the assault have also refused to offer up any sort of comments on the issue, but given the upscale nature of the establishment, it’s widely speculated that Hickman may have been profiled. The 24-year-old prospect is set to become a restricted free agent later this offseason, and will likely be resigning with the Browns for a “projected contract between $7 million to $8 million.”
ABC7 has suggested that Hickman was, in fact, identified by the four individuals, and that things only escalated after Hickman refused to acknowledge them, but that has yet to be confirmed by either official sources or any of the members in Hickman’s camp.
