An NFL offseason getaway turned into a nightmare for Cleveland Browns safety Ronnie Hickman.
The 24-year-old defensive standout was reportedly jumped by a group of men inside a trendy New York City hotel early Monday morning — and police are now scrambling to track down the suspects.
According to the New York Post, the frightening scene unfolded just after 4:30 a.m. inside the lobby of the SIXTY LES hotel on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
Sources say Hickman was confronted by four men. What started as a dispute quickly escalated. The group allegedly attacked the Browns player before fleeing the scene.
ABC7 reported the men recognized Hickman and approached him. When he allegedly didn’t respond to them, tensions rose — and violence followed.
No arrests have been made.
NYPD officers are actively investigating and searching for the attackers.
Hickman was transported to Bellevue Hospital following the assault. Fortunately, he was listed in stable condition and later released the same day.
The New Jersey native had been enjoying downtime after Cleveland wrapped up its season in January. Instead, he found himself at the center of a late-night chaos no athlete expects.
Hickman’s rise to the NFL has been anything but ordinary.
After starring at Ohio State University and previously making a name for himself at DePaul Catholic High School in Passaic, he went undrafted in 2023. The Browns took a chance on him — and it paid off.
His breakout campaign came in 2025, when he stepped into a starting role and delivered his strongest season yet.
Now entering the offseason as a restricted free agent, Hickman is widely expected to re-sign with Cleveland. League estimates suggest he could command between $7 million and $8 million per year on his next deal.
But before contract talks heat up, investigators are focused on finding the men responsible for what could have been far worse.
For now, Hickman is recovering — and the search continues.
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