Report: Ray Rice losing support from teammates, who were told he was defending himself
There has already been a significant amount of backlash against Ray Rice on social media from current and former NFL players, but the Baltimore Ravens have yet to publicly address the video of Rice knocking out his wife Janay Palmer in a casino elevator. However, one report indicates Rice is losing — or has lost — the support of his teammates.
Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report says he had a text conversation with a Ravens player who said Rice’s teammates were behind him until they saw the footage that TMZ released on Monday. The player reportedly said Rice gave off the impression that he was defending himself from Palmer.
“I don’t think he has very much support now at all,” the player said. “I think it’s gone.”
[WATCH: Ray Rice punches wife Janay Palmer, knocks her out]
How TMZ somehow got its hands on the elevator footage but the Ravens nor the NFL could not do the same is beyond me. My gut instinct tells me they didn’t try very hard, for obvious reasons. Deadspin put together a solid roundup of reporters who claimed to have been told exactly what was on the video back in July, so it sounds like anyone who believed Rice was being incredibly naive.
Deadspin was also told months ago that the video proves why Rice only got a two-game suspension. In other words, an NFL player was supposedly defending himself against a small woman who was attacking him. While Monday’s video shows Palmer giving Rice a half-hearted tap in the face and going after him in the elevator, he has absolutely no excuse for reacting the way he did. Watch Jay-Z getting booted by Beyonce’s sister in an elevator and tell me the force Rice used was necessary.
