Week 17 Ceremony Raises Eyebrows as Ravens Extend Recognition to Ray Rice Despite Past Scandal.”
The Baltimore Ravens will honor Ray Rice as a Legend of the Game during their week 17 matchup with the Miami Dolphins.
Rice was caught on video abusing his fiancée in an elevator in 2014, and he never played again in the NFL after the video went public. The announcement of his planned honoring has caused many fans to question the morals of the Baltimore organization.
When the incident first occurred, the NFL only suspended him for two games. The video was not released at that point, but when it became public the two-game suspension was the cause of public outrage.
Rice’s name is still synonymous with the domestic violence issue that plagues football, and sports as a whole. In an article from Pro Football Talk, Rice argues that the moment will allow him to show the public how he has bettered himself.
“I truly understand why I was let go and why so many hearts changed. But hopefully people can see where I’m at now. They say people can change, right? I am not the same person I was 10-12 years ago. That’s just not who I am,” Rice told the Ravens’ website. “Every time I stepped on the field, I gave it my all. But I couldn’t say the same for life. Now I’m trying to be the best version of me.”