Report: NFL, Baltimore Ravens engaged in 'pattern of misinformation and misdirection' over Ray Rice case
The NFL and the Baltimore Ravens tried to cover up Ray Rice's domestic abuse case by pushing prosecutors for leniency and engaging in a flagrant "pattern of misinformation and misdirection," according to an explosive report from ESPN's Outside the Lines.
Contrary to the Ravens' public insistence that they had no knowledge until September of the contents of a videotape showing Rice knocking his then-fiancée (now-wife) Janay unconscious, OTL reports that the team knew that information within hours of Rice's February arrest. As for the NFL, it took an "uncharacteristically passive approach" to gathering evidence, and may have fudged the truth in saying no league officials knew the contents of the tape until September either. Both the league and team claimed no one in their offices had seen the tape. However, Rice himself and others who had seen a copy of the tape explicitly described the footage, leaving no doubt the running back knocked his wife unconscious, according to OTL.
The report came hours after Goodell admitted in a press conference to having made mistakes, and announced that the league would craft a new disciplinary policy. Yet the lingering questions about whether he deliberately misled the public about what the NFL knew, and when, could still put his job in jeopardy, especially in light of the OTL report.
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Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.
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