An altercation took place in the lobby of the SIXTY LES Hotel in New York City. Ronnie Hickman, safety for the Cleveland Browns was attacked by four men around 4:30 AM Monday morning. The identities of the attackers remain unknown, and officers are looking at surveillance footage provided by the hotel to identify the suspects.
Hickman was reportedly punched several times by the attackers. While it is unknown what exactly sparked the altercation, there were reports of a verbal dispute transpiring shortly before the assault took place. After the brawl, the suspects involved immediately left the scene. It is still unknown where their next stops were and what the true motive behind the attack was.
Hickman played for Ohio State University before signing a contract to play for the Browns in 2023. He has stuck with the Cleveland Browns for the entire duration of his career, and played in all 17 of their games during the 2025 season. Hickman has a career total of 3 interceptions and 1 fumble-recovery in which he returned for a touchdown. He achieved his career-high by recording a total of 103 tackles across the previous year.
Police are investigating the incident further to determine if Hickman’s ties to the NFL have any relation to the cause of the altercation. His relationship with the perpetrators, if any, is unclear as the search for more evidence continues. No arrests have been made as of yet.
One report from ABC 7 New York News claims that the group of men recognized the athlete, but he did not know the identities of the men. The report also suggests that Hickman did not acknowledge the men who approached him at first. These events, along with a verbal dispute, were the buildup to the assault. The backstory has yet to be completely uncovered.
Hickman was taken to the hospital where he received attention for his injuries. Fortunately, he sustained only minor injury, and after proper care, the star safety was released back home where he was able to rest and fully recover from the incident with his family.
