Ray Rice hasn't played an NFL snap since 2013 and while he hasn't officially closed the book on his playing career, the reality that he'll never suit up again is sinking in and the former Baltimore Ravens running back is switching his focus. According to ESPN, Rice is now hopeful that he can get a position working with the NFL so that he could raise domestic violence awareness in the league.
Ray Rice working to raise domestic violence awareness in the NFL
Rice says he has dedicated his life to raising domestic violence awareness and hopes to continue that endeavor in the NFL.
Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Rice was released by the Ravens shortly after a video surfaced that showed him punching and knocking his then-fiancée unconscious in an elevator. The running back was suspended indefinitely by the NFL, and although he won an appeal of the punishment and was reinstated, he hasn’t been able to convince a team to sign him since.
For now, he’s focused most on rehabilitating his image and says he has dedicated himself to raise domestic violence awareness. Via ESPN:
“I totally understand what my visual did and the effect it had on society and the survivors of domestic violence,” Rice told ESPN’s SportsCenter on Sunday morning. “So, for me, to never be forgiven ... I understand those things, and I totally take full responsibility for my actions. The one thing I can say is ... I have made a lifelong decision to raising awareness about this.
“I used to have a situation where kids were like, ‘I wanna be like Ray Rice.’ And now I have to think about kids and parents saying, ‘I don’t want you to be like Ray Rice.’ And that haunts me.”
Of course, any effort Rice makes will be met with doubts about his intentions. Actions speak louder than words and Rice’s violent actions against his now-wife, Janay Rice, are forever caught on video.
But attempts to show remorse and accept responsibility for his actions represent much more effort to atone than Greg Hardy has put forth. And even if efforts to raise domestic violence awareness are hollow attempts to rehabilitate Rice's image, the end result is still positive.
“I think the NFL has such a huge platform and I’ve seen the platform I had when I was playing, when I would go out and help people. I go out now, and I don’t have an NFL platform, but I’m going out there and helping people out. So if I never played a down again, why not see if I could use their platform to go out there and help make a difference.”
Rice earned three trips to the Pro Bowl in his six NFL seasons and tallied 6,180 career rushing yards with 37 touchdowns. His last season was his worst though, when he managed just 3.1 yards per carry and only 660 yards for the season.
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