Ray Rice Released as Baltimore Ravens Do The Right Thing
By Brett Foote
Aug 16, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice (27) runs with the ball during the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Monday morning saw the leak of a video showing running back Ray Rice brutally punching his then fiancee, knocking her to the ground unconscious. Following a massive wave of negative reactions from fans and NFL players alike, Monday afternoon found Ray Rice released as the Baltimore Ravens decided to do the right thing.
The news came straight from the team itself via Twitter:
The #Ravens have terminated RB Ray Rice's contract this afternoon.
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 8, 2014
It’s not at all surprising considering the sheer brutality of the video. No NFL team, nor the NFL itself, needs this kind of negative image attached to it. And no matter how talented a player Rice once was (or may still be), there is no excuse for keeping him on an active roster.
As we said this morning, the Ravens have no valid reason to keep Rice around. They need to move on and focus on football, and we’re happy to see that they have decided to do just that. The team has running backs that can fill the void. And more importantly, they can show the world that they won’t tolerate such despicable behavior from it’s players.