Update, Friday, Feb. 3: The arrest warrant and charge against Mixon were dismissed Friday afternoon by a judge in Hamilton County. However, that does not mean the case is completely dropped. “We need additional investigation before we would move forward with this case,” a prosecutor told county judge Curt Kissinger, according to WCPO-TV. Authorities reserved the right to refile the case at a later date. The prosecutor said the victim understands the need to dismiss the case and would be in favor of moving forward with the charge if it needs to be refiled. The original story is below.
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Joe Mixon on a complaint of misdemeanor aggravated menacing, according to ESPN. The complaint was filed in Ohio’s Hamilton County on Thursday. According to the warrant, the Cincinnati Bengals running back allegedly pointed a gun at an individual on Jan. 21 and said the person should be “popped in the face.” The alleged incident occurred at the intersection of Walnut Street and Third Street in downtown Cincinnati, one day before the Bengals beat the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs.
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The Bengals released a statement, saying they are aware of the charges against Mixon. “The club is investigating the situation and will not comment further at this time,” a team spokesperson said. Mixon’s agent, Peter Schaffer, told ESPN he expects Hamilton County officials to drop the charges on Friday morning.
“I really feel that police have an obligation before they file charges — because of the damage that can be done to the person’s reputation — to do their work, ” Schaffer said. Mixon is no stranger to being in trouble with the law. In 2014, Mixon was charged with misdemeanor assault for punching a woman. He was attending the University of Oklahoma at the time and alleged he was called a racial slur. Mixon entered a plea deal and was given a year of probation while being suspended from the team for one year.
Mixon, 26, was selected by the Bengals in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. In 2021, Mixon was named to his first Pro Bowl after rushing for 1,205 yards and 13 touchdowns while catching 42 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns. In 2022, Mixon rushed for 814 yards and seven touchdowns while catching 60 passes for 441 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games.
“I’m definitely starting to get to that part where I’m starting to reach my prime,” Mixon said in an interview last year, per Cincinnati.com. “I know this is definitely the very beginning, and I’m comparing myself to myself, striving to be better than I was before.” In the same interview, Mixon talked about how his role has changed since joining the Bengals in 2017. “When I came into Cincinnati, they always had a first and second down back and a third down back, which was (Giovani Bernard),” he said. “Pretty much everything he went through, I just learned from him and ran with it. When my number is called, I’ve got to make plays and make sure the team can count on me in any situation. We look to thrive in moments like this.”
