The Cleveland Browns are reacting to some disturbing news after one of their players was allegedly assaulted in New York City over the weekend. Veteran safety Ronnie Hickman was the victim of an early-morning attack outside of a hotel.
The 24-year-old was treated for minor injuries. Hickman, who was born in New York, was raised in New Jersey and played high school football there before attending Ohio State. He recently completed his third NFL season.
According to the Browns, Hickman is “resting with his family.”
“Ronnie Hickman was a victim of assault early Monday morning at a New York City hotel. Ronnie was treated for minor injuries at an area hospital after the incident, was later released, and is home resting with his family,” the team’s statement read.
#Browns statement on S Ronnie Hickman assaulted in NYC:
"Ronnie Hickman was a victim of assault early Monday morning at a New York City hotel. Ronnie was treated for minor injuries at an area hospital after the incident, was later released, and is home resting with his family."
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) February 16, 2026
A report said Hickman was approached by four men at about 4:30 a.m. in the lobby of the SIXTY LES hotel. After a dispute, Hickman was taken to the hospital.
Police are searching for the suspects. They are also trying to determine if Hickman’s status as an NFL player had anything to do with the encounter.
During the 2025 season, New York Jets player Kris Boyd was shot during an altercation outside a city restaurant. That suspect was caught and charged with attempted murder.
Hickman started all 17 games for the Browns this season. He made a career-high 103 combined tackles and had two interceptions.
Former defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz spoke highly of Hickman during this season. He was praised for his leadership ability and overall consistency.
Undrafted out of college, he has played in 41 games with 23 starts for the Browns since his debut in 2023. As a rookie, he returned an interception for a touchdown against the Jets.
Hickman will be a free agent this offseason. With Schwartz having resigned and been replaced by new coordinator Mike Rutenberg, and the Browns being linked to Ohio State safety Caleb Downs with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, it is unclear if they will try to re-sign Hickman or if he has a role on the team going forward.
Fortunately, it looks like he will be able to enter the offseason and be available on the market without having to overcome any serious physical repercussions from this scary incident.
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