Over two years ago, the NFL suspended then-Ravens running back Ray Rice for a domestic violence incident that took place in Atlantic City, NJ. At the time, many thought the suspension was egregiously lenient, a product of the league’s flawed and archaic attitude toward domestic violence. In the wake of the Rice incident, the league tightened up its domestic violence policy, mandating a six-game suspension for a first-time offense and a lifetime ban for a second offense. The league seemed to be making legitimate progress toward mitigating a problem that had blighted its reputation for years.
That was, until TMZ released the video.
You don’t need me to tell you what “the video” refers to. It became one of the most infamous tapes to reach the public in recent memory. In it, Rice is seen punching his then-fiance Janay and subsequently dragging her out of an elevator at a local casino. The video is so disturbing that I’m not even going to hyperlink to it; you can see it for yourself if you really want or need to. It is, without exaggeration, one of the most repugnant acts you will ever see caught on camera. Rice was immediately released by the Ravens, and no team has latched on to him since the incident. Rice may never again sign with an NFL team based on the events of that February 2014 night.
And yet, even after all of this, I still think Rice has earned himself a second chance in the league. Why hasn’t he gotten it yet?
The short answer is rather simple. Commissioner Roger Goodell basically made an example out of Rice in changing the league’s domestic violence policy in the wake of the incident. Because of Goodell’s actions (such as suspending Rice indefinitely after the release of the tape), Rice essentially became radioactive to teams, even those in need of a running back. By way of seeing the video and placing the violence in visual terms, many front offices deemed the risks of Rice’s employment greater than the benefits. Your opinion of many things will change when you actually see them for yourself, and the Rice controversy was no different. As a populace, we were already against Goodell’s initially lenient suspension. After seeing the video, we were collectively appalled at the original punishment.
But we have to go back to the NFL to know why Rice is still unemployed. If Goodell had not arbitrarily levied the indefinite suspension, a team may have aimed to acquire the Rutgers product after the Ravens released him. However, Goodell did what he has always done best: make things up as he goes along under the guise of “protecting the shield”. It’s understandable that the league was in full-blown crisis mode in the wake of the video, and one can comprehend why it would act this way. But the NFL had no right to punish Rice indefinitely, especially after it handed down an initial suspension. In November of that year, a judge overturned the league’s ruling for that exact reason. But the judge could not overturn the damage Goodell and the league did to Rice’s future.
Let me say this: I don’t necessarily feel sorry for Ray Rice. What he did was deplorable and set a horrible example for those who looked up to him as a role model. Even though the league’s reaction to the video was absurd, he really deserved whatever punishment he received.
That being said, it has been surprising that no team has taken a chance on Rice in almost two years. This has to do with both his radioactive reputation and his ability, or lack thereof, to still play the game at a high level.
For example, Rice rushed for over 1,000 yards for four seasons from 2009-2012, the last of which ending in a Super Bowl victory over the 49ers (blackout game, anyone?). More importantly, he played in every game during that period and has never played fewer than 13 games in a season over the course of his six-year career. His injury-riddled 2013 season was easily the worst of his career, as he only averaged 3.1 yards per carry and suffered major declines in almost every major statistical category. The domestic incident occurred that next March. The infamous video surfaced in September. And now we’re here.
Needless to say, Rice has paid the price for his actions. It’s a price that he absolutely deserved to pay and brought upon himself. He has no one to blame but himself, and he earned his exile from the league. But can’t we reach a point as a country and society where we can give someone a second chance? Why haven’t we reached that point with Ray Rice?
Consider this: for as bad as Rice’s actions were, he was (and still is) a first-time offender. It’s none of our business what happened between he and his fiance that night, but to our knowledge, he has not engaged in any other violent actions involving women since then. Also, Rice has seemingly been a perfect citizen since that night, engaging in counseling and seemingly bettering himself in the process.
What’s worse, though, is that other perpetrators of domestic violence have received second chances before Rice. For example, defensive end Greg Hardy was signed by the Dallas Cowboys last season. Hardy was suspended by the league for threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend just two months after Rice’s incident; he repeatedly showed no remorse for his transgressions. Rice has done the opposite, apologizing for his actions on multiple occasions and taking the steps necessary to improve himself in the process. If Hardy, a seemingly terrible human being, can get a chance before Rice, what does that say about the current state of affairs in the NFL?
Rice has more than served his punishment for his actions. He seems to have learned from them, though: he says he’ll donate his salary to domestic violence charities if he plays in 2016. There’s this to consider, too: he’s only 29 years old. With two full years off, he may be able to avoid hitting the wall most running backs crash into once they reach age 30. We saw what happened last season after Adrian Peterson was forced to miss a season after his own transgressions: he came back to the league better than ever before and won a rushing title last season. Rice may not be able to do that, but he should have something to give for a team that can properly utilize him in its backfield.
Ray Rice has earned his second chance. Whether or not he gets it, unfortunately, is a very different story.