Ravens WR Rashod Bateman faces family violence charge after allegedly breaking windshield
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman was arrested in June and faces three charges, including family violence, after allegedly breaking the windshield of a car carrying his 3-month-old daughter and her mother, according to court documents obtained by The Athletic on Friday.
The arrest warrant alleges Bateman broke the glass of the windshield and driver’s side door of a 2021 Mercedes-Benz in an incident on June 3, causing cuts to the mother’s face from shattered glass, while their daughter was in a car seat in the passenger row. The warrant said the woman’s face was also bruised, which she told authorities was caused during the initial dispute at the couple’s home in Monroe, Ga.
The warrant said broken glass was found in the daughter’s hair. It also alleged Bateman tried to puncture one of the car’s tires with a screwdriver.
“It is unfortunate that a personal family situation has been taken completely out of context for sensational reasons,” Jordan Siev, Bateman’s lawyer, said in a statement. “We will let the court process play out, and the facts will come out at that time.”
Bateman, 26, was charged with battery-family violence (first offense), reckless conduct and first-degree criminal damage to property. The first two are misdemeanors, and the third charge is a felony. He was released on $8,000 bond and ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim. Bateman later requested to have that order removed, and with the mother’s approval, it was modified to a “no violent contact” order, court documents show.
“We are aware of the situation involving Rashod and have been in direct communication with him,” the Ravens said in a statement. “We notified the league office and have been cooperating throughout the process. As this is a pending legal matter, we will not have further comment.”
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league is reviewing the situation.
Bateman could face discipline under the personal-conduct policy. Violations of the policy involving family violence carry a baseline suspension of six games, with potential adjustments based on mitigating or aggravating factors. One aggravating factor listed in the policy is when the act is committed toward or in the presence of a child.
Bateman has struggled with injuries and on-field inconsistency since being selected by the Ravens in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
He finished last season with just 19 catches for 224 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games. That came after his long-awaited breakout season in 2024, in which he caught 45 balls for 756 yards and nine touchdowns and also scored in both of Baltimore’s postseason games.
Bateman has clearly embraced the team’s coaching change, saying following Thursday’s joint practice in Minnesota that Jesse Minter and his new Ravens staff are “very communicative, talkative and informative,” and “that’s what we’ve never had here.”
“I would definitely say I could benefit from the situation that I’m in,” said Bateman, a subject of trade speculation for the past two offseasons. “Honestly, I think wherever these coaches and this staff puts me, the whole team is bound to have success. There’s a lot of different guys that are capable of doing a lot of things, and we’ve showcased that in training camp, and I think that’ll carry on into the season.”
Bateman did not take part in the voluntary organized team activities open to reporters in March and early June, but both Minter and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle said the wide receiver had been in the building throughout the offseason.
When Bateman spoke to reporters for the first time in training camp Aug. 6, he spoke excitedly about fatherhood and how it has changed him.
“It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Bateman said. “I love my little girl so much. She’s changed me a lot. Yes, I would definitely say she changed my life for the better.”