Ravens WR Rashod Bateman on offseason arrest: ‘I can only say so much’

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Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman addressed reporters Wednesday for the first time since reports emerged last month of an offseason arrest on charges that included family violence.

After practice, Bateman was asked about the alleged June 3 incident in Georgia, which involved his infant daughter and the mother of his child and led to a misdemeanor charge of family violence along with charges of reckless conduct and property damage.

“There is only so much that I can say right now,” Bateman said. “It is a legal situation, so I am looking forward to playing football this Sunday.”

Asked whether he was concerned about potentially missing time this season, Bateman said: “No, whatever the consequences are, I will deal with it. But we [are] still waiting on the league and the front office to let us know what is going on.”

General manager Eric DeCosta acknowledged last week that the NFL is investigating the incident, which he said the Ravens reported immediately to league officials. Under the NFL’s personal conduct policy, a family violence violation could result in a baseline unpaid suspension of six games. Committing an offense in the presence of a child is considered an aggravating factor that could warrant a longer suspension, according to the policy.

Marissa Crumley, the mother of Bateman’s daughter, told police that, early on June 3, Bateman woke her up, called her a liar and pushed her into a wall. Hours later, according to a police report, he punctured her car tire with a screwdriver and smashed the windshield while their 3-month-old daughter was inside, according to the report. Officers wrote that they observed cuts on Crumley’s face and glass shards embedded in her skin.

Crumley, who gave The Banner permission to use her name, later said she lied to police and caused her own injuries.

“I want to make it clear that the bruises and marks on me were self inflicted and created by me out of emotion and frustration,” she wrote in an email to the Walton County district attorney five days after the alleged incident.

She added: “He did not cause those injuries or physically harm me in any way.”

DeCosta called Bateman’s arrest, which was first reported Aug. 21, late in the team’s training camp, a “little bit of a distraction at some points.”

The Ravens are counting on Bateman to bounce back from a disappointing 2025. The former first-round pick, who’s under contract through 2029, had just 19 catches for 224 yards and two touchdowns last season. But he impressed in his first summer under new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle.

“I would definitely say it’s going to be fast and explosive,” he said. “We have a lot of good players on the roster moving around and making plays. So I am definitely excited to see how explosive we are.”

Note

Ravens wide receivers Zay Flowers (hamstring) and Devontez Walker (groin), defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike (neck) and inside linebacker Teddye Buchanan (knee) were limited at practice Wednesday, according to the team’s first injury report of the season. Flowers told reporters after practice that he feels “better than ever” after missing time in training camp. Madubuike and Buchanan are working back into game shape as they recover from last year’s season-ending injuries. Walker missed practice Tuesday; his availability for Sunday’s season opener against the Indianapolis Colts is unclear.