Ray Rice hasn’t played in the NFL in a decade. The Baltimore Ravens apparently hope enough time has passed for everyone to forget the reason behind his exile.
Per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, the former Pro Bowl running back attended Baltimore’s practice Thursday. He’s surrounded by young fans in the photo posted on social media.
Former RB Ray Rice is at Ravens training camp and was swarmed up young fans pic.twitter.com/CZaSMuSTna
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) August 10, 2023
Rice recorded 9,214 yards and 43 touchdowns in six seasons with the Ravens. However, a domestic violence incident halted his career.
The Ravens stood by Rice after getting arrested on charges of assaulting his then-fiancee, now-wife Janay Palmer in February 2014. The team held an uncomfortable press conference in which Palmer apologized, and the league suspended Rice for two games.
However, TMZ then posted a video of Rice punching Palmer in the face at an Atlantic City hotel. He dragged her unconscious body out of the elevator.
The Ravens released Rice, and the NFL — which created a new domestic violence policy in light of mishandling this situation — suspended him indefinitely. He has never played in the league since.
In a 2018 interview with Gayle King, Rice confirmed that he wasn’t pursuing an NFL comeback and “didn’t deserve another chance.”
“I don’t have to retire to tell you I’m done with football,” Rice said, “The pressure I was under of being a star — that was the person I hated the most.”