The Ravens released their star running back and the NFL suspended him indefinitely, hours after released another tape from the elevator incident earlier this year that landed him a two-game suspension. This one showed him decking his then-fiancee, knocking her out cold before dragging her out of the elevator.
The NFL and the Ravens have spent that last few months claiming that they had not seen this other tape, though :
Re Ray Rice knockout punch: I was told NFL had access to same evidence the police did when evaluating a 2-game suspension.
— Jane McManus (@janesports)
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After the footage came out, many players, including , spoke out about the incident and the NFL’s apparent tolerance of Rice’s actions, given his measly two-game ban.
But the Ravens couldn’t get out of this one. There was no way they could spin the story and claim that Rice did not do what he did to a woman. So they released him … while still . Should they be applauded for their move? Many, , don’t think so.
It’s hard to forget the team sent out in May …
… or the fact that these are still “in stock”:
Plus, it seems there was ample evidence with the first video to ensure Rice never stepped foot on a field again.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell admitted he made a mistake in suspending Rice for only two games when the league released its new policy on domestic violence. In a letter to all NFL personnel, :
At times, however, and despite our best efforts, we fall short of our goals. We clearly did so in response to a recent incident of domestic violence. We allowed our standards to fall below where they should be and lost an important opportunity to emphasize our strong stance on a critical issue and the effective programs we have in place. My disciplinary decision led the public to question our sincerity, our commitment, and whether we understood the toll that domestic violence inflicts on so many families. I take responsibility both for the decision and for ensuring that our actions in the future properly reflect our values. I didn’t get it right. Simply put, we have to do better. And we will.
Goodell has yet to speak on the latest incident, or on his decision to suspend Rice indefinitely. Others, including the White House, have though:
Shame on the Baltimore Ravens for treating violence against women like an exercise in public relations.
— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports)
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The Ravens don’t deserve any praise for this. Sorry.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill)
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The Ravens didn’t release Ray Rice because they just saw the video, they released him because we saw the video
— Michael Smith (@prezmike25)
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Any chance we can switch the Ray Rice debate to its proper focus. As in, WHY ISNT HE IN JAIL?
— Damien Cox (@DamoSpin)
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The and the didn’t punish Ray Rice because he hit his wife, they punished him because the world found out. They knew.
— Tam Berhe (@TamBerhe)
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