I hope a team gives Rice a chance. He hasn’t played since 2013, that’s long enough. His salary will go to women’s charities. He’s been volunteering and counseling NFL Players warning them about making the mistakes that he made.
He’ll never have the career that he was meant to have. But I have no problem with him getting back into the game. He’s happily married, has a child (expecting a 2nd) and genuinely seems to feel remorse for his past actions.
The Dallas Cowboys should give him a shot.
Imagine a backfield starring Ray Rice and Ezekiel Elliott.
If Ray Rice could still play NFL-caliber football, some team would give him a chance. But he can’t, so it’s not worth the PR headaches.
What kind of career was he “meant to have?” He played NFL running back for six years, made the playoffs five of those six years, went to three Pro Bowls and three AFC Championship games, and won a Super Bowl ring. His last full season (when he was 26) was easily the worst of his career. Barring a miraculous turnaround (which doesn’t happen to seventh year RBs with 1400+ carries), he didn’t have much time left in the NFL before he beat his wife. Even if he never plays another down, there are few NFL players who can say they had a better career than Rice did.
He’s had a couple years to rehab and rest his body. The article indicated he’s been working out hard with a trainer.
Frank Giffordhad one of his best seasons after 18 months off recovering from Chuck Bednarik’s infamous hard hit. Won the UPI Comeback Player of the Year award in 1962.
It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out. Whether a team will at least offer Rice a try out. Give the coaches a chance to see just what skills he has left. He may not have what it takes anymore. He may be past his prime. There’s only one way to find out.
What if the selected “women’s charities” do not want his money?
There was an animal abuse case in my area where the judge wanted part of the defendant’s punishment to involve community service at a local animal shelter. Several shelters were approached, but they all refused to have the guy on their property.
To heck with him.
Nailed it. I would add that running backs are basically disposable now, so the desire to take on one with diminished skills and that much baggage is close to zero.
I’m hoping that someday a coach will say:
“If we sign anybody that hurt someone, I’m quitting.”
Reporter: “But doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance?”
Coach: “Nope, not if they punch a woman, beat a kid or kill someone.”
Call me cynical but I’m seeing this as Rice attempting to put himself back in the spotlight by claiming he’s doing it for charity. Saying you’re willing to play professional sports isn’t much of an act of contrition. Rice apparently isn’t interested in showing remorse by doing something unglamorous like volunteering in a homeless shelter.
His wife and his family are intact. I think that ought to be enough blessings for him. Many violent relationships end with the man losing both, after all.
I feel there are surely more deserving upstarts than a wife beater. He won’t go hungry, he’ll get an offer, find a job, in media perhaps, maybe in a couple more years.
The gift of his family’s forgiveness should be sufficient ‘second chance’, in my eyes.
There are plenty of people out there still waiting for their first chance.