Ray Rice has vowed that if he is signed by an NFL team he will donate his entire salary for the upcoming season to Domestic Abuse programs. Rice has been on an over two-year hiatus since Sept, 2014 when he was cut from the Baltimore Ravens after video of him beating his then-fiancé in an elevator was released to the public. On Wednesday, Rice told reporters every game check he receives will go to programs focusing on education, prevention of domestic violence, and supporting survivors and their families. Rice has been unable to secure a roster spot on any NFL team since the brutal video surfaced.
See the disturbing video footage of the attack below:
Rice has been frantically trying to repair his public image since he was exposed for the beating that took place in Revel Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. He claims that he is reformed from his violent ways, financially secure, and only wants to play so he can give back and “right his wrongs”. He told reporters:
“Me donating my salary is something that’ll be from the heart for me. I only want to play football so I can end it the right way for my kids and for the people that really believed in me. But I know there’s a lot of people affected by domestic violence, and every dollar helps. It’s raising awareness.”
As a seventh-year veteran the minimum salary for Rice in 2016 would be $885,000. This is a significant drop from his last contract that paid out $25 million over the first two years. However, training camps open in less than a week and Rice has still not signed with a team, he remains unemployed. He has not played since 2013 when he recorded the lowest yards per carry of his professional career. He states that he has been training at the local high school near his home in Stamford, CT to get ready for the upcoming season.
Rice claims that he will also be donating his time in order to reform himself. He stated to reporters:
“I think the biggest donation that you can give to domestic violence is your time, I’m not just going to be giving it because I have money. I’m going to be giving it because I did the background and the research and spent a lot of time with people who understand the cause.”
While some believe that Rice has legitimately reformed his behavior and changed his violent ways his lack of a contract shows doubt among NFL franchises. The liability of taking on a player with a violent past isn’t worth the lackluster performance Rice has put on in recent years.
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