Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani has officially been the mayor in New York City since January, after defeating Andrew Cuomo in last November’s election. Even after his landslide victory, some, such as Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy, weren’t pleased about where things were heading under Mamdani.
“I can’t stand the thought of (Mamdani) running New York City. I can’t stand it,” [Portnoy said before the election.](https://thecomeback.com/politics/dave-portnoy-zohran-mamdani-mayor-election.html) “Then a part of me is like, how much will actually change? But I really have given it thought. I told our finance guys to start looking around for property, no joke.
“Take a principled stand. Thirty-something-year-old Communist running New York City who’s never had a job in his life, hates America, doesn’t seem like the best.”
Things under Mamdani haven’t been anything like the dystopian picture Portnoy must have been imagining, and he’s already made improvements for everyday New Yorkers. However, one brutal crime did happen under the new mayor’s watch.
[According to the New York Post](https://nypost.com/2026/02/16/us-news/cleveland-browns-safety-ronnie-hickman-jumped-by-group-outside-trendy-lower-east-side-hotel/), Cleveland Browns defensive back Ronnie Hickman was “approached by four goons in the lobby of the SIXTY LES hotel on Allen Street shortly after 4:30 a.m., and a dispute broke out, police and sources said.
“The suspects then slugged Hickman and took off.”
Hickman was reportedly hospitalized.
“The NFL star — a onetime Ohio State standout who graduated from De Paul Catholic High School in Passaic, NJ — was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. He is believed to have been released by Monday afternoon,” the Post added.
Hopefully, Hickman makes a full recovery and contributes to the Browns getting things back on track under new head coach Todd Monken following a 5-12 season that saw Kevin Stefanski ousted from the organization.