COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes yesterday said he's looking forward to getting on with his life and career after a Franklin County Municipal Court judge dismissed domestic violence charges pending against him.

Judge Michael T. Brandt dismissed misdemeanor charges of domestic violence and assault after being assured by Holmes' two lawyers that their client is participating in ongoing counseling offered through the NFL.

The charges against Holmes, the Steelers' first-round pick in the 2006 draft, stemmed from a June 19 incident involving LaShae Boone of Columbus, the mother of one of his three children.

"It doesn't mean anger-management classes," Holmes said after the hearing. "It just means I needed someone else to talk with about all the situations and to get an understanding of what was going on."

Boone had been reluctant to testify against Holmes, a former Ohio State University standout. She offered no comment to Brandt beyond agreeing with chief city prosecutor Stephen McIntosh when he requested dismissal of the charges.

The couple's 10-month-old daughter, Shaniya, sat on her mother's lap, chattering and eagerly looking at her father as he appeared before the judge.

Holmes offered little comment before the judge, but later said that, while he's glad to have the charges dropped, the situation did not affect his play on the field for the struggling Steelers.

"Not at all," he said. "I'm an NFL football player, and that's my job."

Before dismissing the charges, Brandt offered some advice.

"Everything you do in your life will be watched more carefully and more closely than other people," he said. "That is because you've been blessed with a God-given athletic ability and talent that let you do what other people just dream about.

"You don't need this distraction. You have a job a lot of people would love to have. Take advantage of it and use it fully and take care of your kids."

On the night of the alleged incident, Boone called 911 and later gave police a statement in which she accused Holmes of "choking [her], throwing her to the ground, grabbing her arms, and slamming her into a door, leaving her with bruises, pain, and a torn shirt."

Holmes said he felt the judge treated him fairly.

"I'm glad it's behind me," he said. "I'm looking forward to finishing up my life."

McIntosh insisted Holmes did not receive favorable treatment.

"This is not the first time that we've done this," he said. "There have been many cases that we've ultimately dismissed for some type of counseling or an assessment. We do it based on how strong our evidence is."