Papers seeking to dismiss the case were being filed by the complainants, Chrissy Pitts, deputy clerk of Magistrate Court in Jasper County, said today. Pitts did not know what prompted their decision.

"It was settled," Pitts said. "We aren't aware of any terms that were involved in the settlement. That was between the attorneys and the parties."

A hearing on the accusations against Thurman had been set for today, but was canceled because of the dismissal. Thurman had not been charged with a crime, but a magistrate had been expected to hear testimony to determine if charges should be filed.

Two men filed a complaint Sunday with police in Monticello, 60 miles from Atlanta, accusing Thurman of assaulting them early Sunday following an argument at a home. The men accused Thurman's brother, Willie Thurman, of threatening them with a gun.

The NFL suspended Thurman for the first four games of 2006 after he skipped a drug test. The suspension was extended to a full season following his arrest on a drunken-driving charge in September. Thurman is one of nine Cincinnati players arrested in the past year.

Thurman can apply for reinstatement for this season, although earlier this year Bengals coach Marvin Lewis refused to talk about whether Thurman figured in the team's plans.