Prosecutors in Massachusetts have dropped assault and battery charges against Patriots player Christian Barmore.
The charges stemmed from a criminal complaint filed by a former girlfriend in December.
The woman who filed the complaint did not want to travel out of state for the case.
Barmore was never arrested in connection with the alleged August 2025 incident.
Prosecutors in Massachusetts are dropping the case against New England Patriots defensive lineman Christian Barmore.
During an arraignment Monday in Attleboro District Court, prosecutors said they would not be able to prove a case against Barmore, 26, who faced assault and battery charges.
A woman who shares a child with Barmore and was previously his girlfriend filed a criminal complaint in December that said Barmore threw her to the ground during a domestic dispute that allegedly occurred Aug. 8, 2025. The woman did not want to travel out of state for the case, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III told reporters, according to the Associated Press. Barmore was never arrested.
The NFL and Patriots were aware of the charges and let the legal process play out. Barmore had been the second Patriots player charged with a physical crime after former wide receiver Stefon Diggs had been accused of felony strangulation of a former personal chef (Diggs pleaded not guilty Feb. 13).
‘I think that these are allegations, like you mentioned in your question, it’s things that we have to handle,’ Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said after the charges against Barmore were reported. ‘Everyday there are distractions. Some are smaller than others. Confident that we’ll focus on the Dolphins and those two individuals that you mentioned will be able to handle the ongoing legal process.’
Barmore started 16 games last season and had 2.0 sacks. He’s been with New England since the organization drafted him in the second round (38th overall) of the 2021 draft. The Alabama Crimson Tide product is under contract with the team through the 2028 season.