The Baltimore Ravens have finally released Ray Rice.
The #Ravens have terminated RB Ray Rice's contract this afternoon.
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 8, 2014
The only remarkable thing about the timing of all of this is that the team only decided to do so after there was leaked video footage of Rice punching Janay Parker in an elevator back in February. One would think that the previously known footage of Rice dragging an unconscious Parker out of the elevator should have been enough.
The Ravens had publicly backed Rice for months following the incident but with public and internal pressure from players, this was the only tenable outcome that the Ravens organization could have taken (even if it took them months to reach it). It was reported that Rice was losing the support of the Ravens locker room, as his recounting of the incident to the team drastically differs from the what the video footage shows.
A Ravens player told Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report that any support Rice had in the locker room had evaporated.
“I don’t think he has very much support now at all,” the player texted. “I think it’s gone.”
The player said Rice told teammates initially that he was defending himself from an attacking Janay Palmer — such that that matters — and the video released this morning contradicts that flimsy attempt at justification.
There’s not much more to say than goodbye and good riddance. Ray Rice will not be missed.
