Ray Rice’s Demise

The summer before the 2012-2013 NFL season, Ray Rice signed a five-year deal worth $35 million with the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens were a team on the rise and won Super Bowl XLVII against the San Francisco 49ers in 2013. Ray Rice had won the Super Bowl; what was next for the elite athlete?

The following season, Rice was battling an injury and finished with a measly 660 rushing yards and only four touchdowns. Ray Rice had caught a whiff of greatness and was now struggling to keep his head above the water. After the 2013 season, Ray Rice made the biggest mistake of his life.

Rice and his then fiancée, Janay Palmer, were visiting the Revel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Rice and Palmer were arguing on the evening of February 15^th, 2014. The feuding couple entered an elevator and continued to argue. Rice punched Ms. Palmer and knocked her out. Rice then dragged Ms. Palmer out of the elevator and both were arrested. The casino has since closed the incident on September 2^nd, 2014.

Rice’s bright career began to spiral out of control. On February 19^th, TMZ posted an initial video of Rice dragging an unconscious Ms. Palmer out of the elevator. A little over a month later on March 27^th, Rice was indicted on third-degree aggravated assault. Including the indictment, Rice stood a possible jail sentence of three to five years and a fine of up to $15,000. Coincidentally, the couple was married the day after Rice was charged.

A few weeks later, the NFL began to deal with the situation Ray Rice was in. On July 25^th, 2014, the NFL suspended Ray Rice for the first two games of the 2014 season. Rice agreed to undergo court-supervised counseling and the criminal charges against him were dropped. Ray Rice got away with a two-game suspension for domestic violence, while players like Wes Welker of the Denver Broncos and Josh Gordon of the Cleveland Browns are suspended for four to sixteen games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. Something seemed to be wrong here and the NFL realized their mistake and created a new domestic violence policy.  The first offense is a six-game suspension, but a second offense is a life-long ban.

Ray Rice seemed to be in the clear and had to sit out two games, but the Ravens needed Rice back after the poor showing in the running game in a Week One loss to the Cincinnati Bengals 23-16. The return of Rice was right around the corner until a new video surfaced on the morning of September 8th. TMZ released a new video of Rice punching Ms. Palmer in the elevator. This immediately led to public outcry and the scrutinizing of Rice.  Later that afternoon, the Baltimore Ravens released Rice from the team and the NFL indefinitely suspended him.

The greatest running back in history at Rutgers University was in a downward spiral. Electronic Arts, the creators of the popular football game Madden 15, updated the game to remove Ray Rice and Nike ended its sponsorship with the running back.  The popular quarterback Michael Vick was in the same position as Rice back in 2007 for implication in an illegal interstate dog-fighting ring. Vick was suspended and had to file for bankruptcy before his return to the NFL in 2009. Vick comments on the situation by calling it “out of control.” In addition to the blooming story, Ms. Palmer defends Rice and comments, “To make us relive a moment in our lives that we regret everyday is a horrible thing.” The controversy lies with Ms. Palmer defending the man that knocked her unconscious.

The story continues to grow with ex-FBI director Robert Mueller investigating the NFL and its approach to the Ray Rice situation. On September 10^th, the Associated Press alleged that the NFL received the elevator video in April.  Goddell denies ever receiving the video but groups such as the National Organization for Women want Goddell to resign. The NFL now has a bad reputation with the public, which hurts the popularity of the organization. In wake of this situation, Rice’s current status in the NFL is up in the air, as current running back for the Minnesota Vikings Adrian Peterson is also in the spotlight for abuse of his son. This is a chance for the NFL to make an example of Rice and Peterson to detour future acts of domestic abuse.