Ray Rice Likely To Be Back On The Field This Season
The third-degree aggravated assault charge against running back Ray Rice after being caught on camera punching his wife (at the time she was his fiancé) in an elevator in February of 2014 was dismissed this week, meaning Ray Rice will be able to return to the NFL — should any team want him.
The National Football League has a history of welcoming players back who had previously fallen out of favor in some way like Ray Rice did. Perhaps one of the more recent and notorious examples is Michael Vick, who spent 21 months in prison for his role in a dog fighting ring. He was villainized by fans and media alike, yet upon his release he was given another shot at playing in the NFL as the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles and won the NFL’s 2010 Comeback Player of the Year award, as well as the affection of many fans. Time will tell if Ray Rice can see similar results.
Ray Rice, whose contract was terminated by the Baltimore Ravens following the incident last year, will be cleared to play for any team who will have him, and there are a number of teams who could use him, and even a few who have a history of taking a chance on a player with the kind of stigma Rice has.
The Dallas Cowboys have earned a reputation over the years for not being afraid to take on troubled players. Dez Bryant and, most recently, Randy Gregory (the 60th overall pick in this year’s draft) are two recent examples of players who joined the team with known personal conduct or criminal histories. The Oakland Raiders have never shied away from big personalities or players with troubled pasts, like the recently signed Michael Dyer. And at some point or another, almost every NFL team has taken a chance on players despite shaky or questionable pasts. Ray Rice will hope to find a combination of a team that needs a player of his skill and is willing to take on one of the game’s most notorious players.
Ray Rice was thought to be done as a player in the NFL when charges were filed against him last year and he was suspended from the league. The NFL was criticized in its handling of the Ray Rice case, largely because it was discovered that some league officials may have known about the incident but not spoken up until the video went viral. But while Rice may have a difficult time winning favor back with fans, he’ll have a chance to prove he still has what it takes to be a dominant running back.
The Ray Rice case is not the first time an NFL player has been caught violently assaulting someone, as the league has had many recent cases to deal with. Jonathan Dwyer, running back for the Arizona Cardinals, was arrested for domestic violence against his wife in 2014. Later that same year, star Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was indicted for hitting his four-year old son. In 2012, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chad Johnson was arrested for head-butting his wife. In fact, according to a report released by SI.com in 2014, there were 15 arrests for violence against women in 2013 and 2014 alone.
Having completed his year-long intervention program that was a pre-trial requirement, Ray Rice could be playing in the NFL again this season. All Rice needs is someone willing to give him a second chance.
[Image via The Football Feed]
