Washington Redskins safety Montae Nicholson had all charges dropped against him Tuesday stemming from a December altercation in Ashburn, Virginia, according to Loudoun County court records.
Nicholson had been charged with public swearing and intoxication as well as misdemeanor assault on Dec. 18. He was captured on video punching another man, but it was uncertain what led to the fight. Nicholson was with a female companion, and according to a Washington Post report, words were exchanged between the two and the other man and his female companion as they left a bar early in the morning.
At the time, a Loudoun County sheriff's spokesman said Nicholson's car pulled alongside the other couple's car and honked the horn. Nicholson and his companion exited the car and a fight ensued.
Nicholson's attorney Mark Dycio told ESPN that the charges were dropped because the "evidence did not support the charges." He said what the video footage showed was the tail end of an incident and that the facts leading up to it did not support the charges.
The Redskins had no comment on the results of the court case. It remains uncertain whether the NFL will take action against Nicholson. Earlier this offseason, linebacker Reuben Foster had domestic violence charges dropped against him, and the NFL did not suspend him -- but it did fine him two game checks.
After Nicholson's arrest, which occurred approximately five minutes from the Redskins' facility, he was placed on the reserve/NFI list and missed the last two games of the season.
Nicholson is a key figure in the Redskins' secondary this season. They did not draft another free safety, and Nicholson is considered the starter alongside strong safety Landon Collins. Nicholson started six games for Washington before it traded for Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and made him the starter. Nicholson started seven games as a rookie in 2017 and played in 14 overall but struggled with various injuries.
When healthy, the Redskins like Nicholson because of his size (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) and speed. Last offseason, coach Jay Gruden referred to him as the Jordan Reed of the defense -- a player who could make an impact if healthy.