Over the weekend, former Ohio State Buckeye and current Cleveland Browns safety Ronnie Hickman was assaulted and treated for injuries at a nearby hospital.
The NY Post reported that Hickman had reportedly been attacked by a "group of thugs" at a hotel in the Lower East Side of New York City. He was treated for minor injuries, released, and is now on the road to recovery. The Browns shared that he was a victim of assault early Monday morning.
Hickman was signed by Cleveland as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and has since become a consistent piece of the Browns' defensive secondary.
#Browns say safety Ronnie Hickman was a victim of assault early Monday morning at a New York City hotel and was treated for minor injuries at an area hospital, later released, and is now home resting with his family.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 16, 2026
The @nypost reported Hickman was jumped by a crew of thugs at… pic.twitter.com/f51zlO6feb
While in Columbus, Hickman played for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes from 2019 until 2022, amassing 156 total tackles, seven pass deflections, three interceptions for 73 yards and a touchdown, two forced fumbles, and one sack.
In 2021, he was named to the All-Big Ten second team. In 2022, he was named to the conference's third-team roster.
Since joining the Browns, his on-field performances have only improved.
Over three seasons with Cleveland, Hickman has already earned 173 total tackles (94 solo), 11 pass deflections, 5.5 stuffs for four yards, three interceptions for 61 yards and a touchdown, and one fumble recovery.
His first interception in the NFL came against the New York Jets in 2023. He picked off Trevor Siemian for a 30-yard touchdown. He became a full-time starter for the Browns during the 2025 season.
Neither the Browns nor Hickman has shared any specifics about his injuries from the assault or a recovery timeline.