Browns’ Ronnie Hickman Hospitalized After NYC Assault

Browns safety Ronnie Hickman, was assaulted by a group of four individuals in the lobby of a Sixty Les hotel located on Allen Street in Manhattan, New York.

Browns’ Ronnie Hickman Hospitalized After NYC Assault

Cleveland Browns safety Ronnie Hickman (Image via IMAGO)

The Cleveland Browns’ three-year veteran safety, Ronnie Hickman, was assaulted by a group of four individuals in the lobby of a Sixty Les hotel located on Allen Street in Manhattan, New York. Hickman has been hospitalized.

According to a report from the New York Post, the incident took place at approximately 4:30 am when four unidentified individuals approached Hickman. They confronted Hickman shortly after he entered the establishment. To better understand the situation, the Post spoke with local authorities, who speculated that Hickman’s status as an NFL athlete may have played a part in the incident.

A spokesperson for the Browns organization confirmed to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN that Hickman was a victim of assault.

Safety 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 hotel staff who were present during the time of the incident refused to spill any details about the incident, and given the establishment’s high-end reputation, Hickman might have been profiled.

Who is Ronnie Hickman?

This unfortunate incident occurred right after Hickman completed his third year in Cleveland. The undrafted free agent played sparingly in his first two seasons with the Browns. Hickman shined despite the lack of first-team chances in his second year.

Browns’ Ronnie Hickman Hospitalized After NYC Assault
Ronnie Hickman (Image via IMAGO)

He recorded 45 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one pass deflection, allowing a 60.9% completion percentage, 212 passing yards, one touchdown, and a 105.7 passer rating in 14 games and five starts.

Before the start of the 2025 season, the Browns allowed Juan Thornhill to walk, and he moved to Pittsburgh, paving the way for Hickman to take his place.

It feels like [Ronnie] Hickman’s in position to have a season in which he could lock down a starting job instead of sharing the role. That’s going to depend a lot on him making plays from that deep safety spot beyond the one interception—which went for a touchdown in the 2023 playoff-clinching win over the New York Jets—he has in his career to date. That’s where the breakthrough really could show up for the former Ohio State standout.

Chris Easterling of The Akron Beacon Journal said

In 17 games, Hickman tallied 103 combined tackles, two interceptions, and seven pass deflections. Cleveland won just 5 games all year, but the Browns’ defense ranked fourth-best in the league, allowing 283.6 yards per game and conceding 43 total touchdowns.

Hickman attended Ohio State University from 2019 to 2022, where, following a few solid starts, he cemented himself as a key member of the Buckeyes’ secondary. After red shirting his first season and playing a special-teams role in 2020, Hickman broke in 2021. As the “Bullet,” Hickman racked up 99 total tackles and contributed two interceptions (one pick-6), one tackle for loss, one sack, and one forced fumble.

In the final year of his college eligibility, Hickman totaled 45 tackles, two pass deflections, one interception, and one forced fumble. Despite his stellar college football career, Hickman went undrafted before signing a UFA contract with the Browns in 2023.

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