Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice announced Thursday via USA TODAY Sports that he would donate his entire NFL earnings to charity. Well, right now he’s unsigned. In order to promise such a hefty amount, this would require a team to sign him.
The Ravens cut Rice in 2014 after TMZ released surveillance footage of him knocking out his then-fiancée, Janay and dragging her out of an elevator. The couple eventually married and made an effort to clear up any misconceptions about their relationship.
They are expecting another child in September.
NFL training camps are just days away and Rice hasn’t received an offer. The three-time Pro Bowl running back has immersed himself in hours of training both on and off the field, anticipating a new team home. Rice was initially hit with an indefinite ban from the league, but that ruling was later vacated on an appeal months after the video was released. All criminal charges were dropped and Rice entered a pretrial intervention program along with anger management.
Despite the public backlash, he’s hopeful time and restitution will give him a second chance.
“Put it like this: I don’t know when the years of ranking where I was a top-15 NFL player, but you don’t fall off that fast,” Rice told USA Today Sports. “If I’m that bad, bring me in for a tryout. That’s the way to go about it. Bring me in for a tryout and then let the rest of the chips fall where they belong, because we know the simple fact that I can’t get a tryout – it’s a different deal.”
But, getting back on a team may not be as black and white like the video.
Most of the NFL executives, coaches and scouts who spoke with USA TODAY Sports recently about Rice – all on condition of anonymity for competitive reasons – said it’s not surprising he hasn’t even had a tryout, mostly because of the power of the video.
If he does get a shot at redemption on the field, Ray says he’ll donate to charities and organizations geared toward domestic violence prevention.
There is a cheering section wanting Rice to get back to his roots.
I don't understand how Ray Rice hasn't gotten a second chance but guys like Greg Hardy are still in the league..
— Joe Kukla (@Jkukla4) July 21, 2016
Ray Rice just genuinely wants to play football. He wants to donate his salary to charity
Give the dude a second chance.— . (@nickfromthe803) July 21, 2016
Ray Rice messed up yes, but his offer to play and donate his salary to domestic violence charity shows he really just wants to play ball.
— Vicente Olmedo (@topdawgvince) July 21, 2016
Here’s video from his exclusive with USA Today Sports.
Do you think Rice will be given a second chance? Let us know in the comments.
