Ray Rice and his representatives lied about what happened between him and his now-wife Janay Palmer inside a casino elevator over the winter, according to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. While Goodell would not specify what exactly Rice claimed took place, he said his description was not consistent with what was seen on the disturbing tape that was released Monday.
In an interview with Christine Brennan of USA Today Sports, Goodell described the details Rice provided as “ambiguous.”
“There was no ambiguity when you saw that tape (Monday),” he said. “It was sickening. It was appalling. It was clear that it was not consistent with what they presented to us in the hearing and we needed to take the right step which is to indefinitely suspend him.”
[WATCH: Ray Rice punches wife Janay Palmer, knocks her out]
Assuming the NFL truly didn’t see the footage, and New Jersey state attorney general spokesman Paul Loriquet did say Tuesday that it would have been “improper” and “illegal” to show the tape to a private entity like the NFL, the big question is what the league actually thought happened that resulted in Rice dragging an unconscious Palmer out of an elevator. Goodell continues to dance around that question.
“What they indicated happened was that it was ambiguous and there was another side to it,” he told Brennan. “I don’t think there is when I see the video. It was an ambiguous description of what happened in the elevator and I don’t think that’s ambiguous at all.”
According to a previous report, Rice told his Baltimore Ravens teammates that he was defending himself from Palmer. We’re guessing he told the NFL the same thing. Did the NFL do all it could to verify the information Rice gave them? Of course not. If TMZ can track down the video, Goodell and company certainly could have.
We know Goodell has been lying left and right since the you-know-what hit the fan. LB has already highlighted some of the lies the commissioner told during his interview with CBS. But why won’t he just say what Rice told the league? My guess is the story Rice gave is in no way believable. If Goodell gives up those details, the league will be scrutinized for buying it. That’s why he’s being so vague.
