Baltimore Ravens cut ties with Ray Rice
The Baltimore Ravens have "terminated" running back Ray Rice's contract, the team announced Monday afternoon. The news came on the same day TMZ posted security camera footage showing Rice knocking his then-fiancee unconscious in an Atlantic City elevator.
The decision is a stunning reversal from just a few months ago, when the team emphatically stood behind Rice and called him a "good guy" who had made a mistake. One article, noting the warm reception fans gave to Rice at training camp, included the none-too-subtle line, "Rice jerseys sprinkled the crowd, worn by both males and females."
The NFL had originally suspended Rice for two games, though after coming under fire for the lenient punishment, commissioner Roger Goodell admitted he'd screwed up.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
UPDATE: The NFL announced it has suspended Rice indefinitely in light of the new video. However, there is some debate about whether league officials in fact saw the video months ago before handing down Rice's initial two-game ban.
