If Rice wins appeal, should the Ravens welcome him back?

[TDubbs]

As we all know the NFLPA has launched an appeal into Rice's indefinite suspension. The argument is that he has been punished by the NFL twice for the same offence. 

 

"Rice’s side will argue that their client provided the commissioner with an accurate account, and will lean on the notion that it’s impossible for a statement and a video to completely match up. The NFLPA will attempt to prove that Rice did not lie, and at the very least, admitted to hitting his wife to the commissioner, which means the video produced no new evidence." - CBS Baltimore.

 

Rice's transgressions were terrible, and unforgivable. Video evidence of this action made it far more amplified than if it were not filmed. However, people do deserve another chance in life. Greg Hardy and Adrian Peterson have been placed on the Exempt/Commissioner's list for comparable charges in the related domestic abuse field, but weren't cut like Rice was. The question is could we accept Rice back? And if those teams are not willing to cut bait yet is there still hope for Rice and the Ravens?

[Inqui]

The indefinite ban was an arbitrary knee-jerk move from the league to save face, but Rice is done here.

[The Cysko Kid]

Just my 2 cents: The backlash will be greater than the benefit for any team that picks him up.

[BmoreBird22]

Rice would not be welcomed back here. I read somewhere that there were rumors that both the Panthers and Vikings considered unloading their respective players, but that would be after the legal process plays out

[K-Dog]

Ray Rice WILL play football in the NFL for sure.

Just not for the Ravens and I am fine with that.

[Purple Punishment]

Rice would not be welcomed back here. I read somewhere that there were rumors that both the Panthers and Vikings considered unloading their respective players, but that would be after the legal process plays out

Don't let Jerry Jones hear that!

[Grapple Raven]

Part of the criteria of Rice's diversionary program are that he maintain employment, so whether it is football or not, he will have to find a job. 

[dhstandard]

NOOOOOOOO

 

Were lucky all this stuff with AP and Goodell and now Dwyer happened to distract everyone.....so again

 

NOOOOOOOOOO

[GrimCoconut]

He won't be here. Steve made that very clear. He's gone and he's not coming back. Should they? I think it'll look bad to bring him back. It's like admitting you made a mistake, and then you're double-downing on the mistake and compounding it. It'll make things worse here. I think Rice should and will play again, but there's so much that goes into that it just isn't possibly going to happen. 

 

Would Rice want to return to the organization that cut him in a horrible time of his life? I'm sure he doesn't hold a grudge because of how it went down, but you never know. How will the public react to re-signing a guy we cut because we couldn't keep him after seeing the tape? Will the Ravens then be perceived as a reactionary organization than a proactive organization? Would respect be lost in the locker room and how would Rice adapt to that? Will Rice be welcomed back here by the players? All of them? 

 

So many variables and it would muddle things, IMO. 

TLDR? No. 

[Militant X 1]

I doubt that Ray Rice will ever be a Raven again.  Thanks for all of the wonderful memories Ray!

 

@Mili

[bauer77]

No thanks. It sucks, because he was one of my favorites, but its time to move on as a team. Pierce/Forsett can carry the load. 

[ellicottraven]

When the owner of the team, Steve Bisciotti says in a TV interview, unequivocally that Ray Rice will never play for the Ravens, I suspect your hope is moot. Ray Rice is systematically being erased from Ravens history.

 

Come on man, you can now exchange your Ray Rice jersey. Isn't that clue enough??

[ravefan52]

I would love for Ray to be on the team, but I think the bad in this situation outweighs the good that would come from it.

[rmcjacket23]

If the Ravens had any intention of Rice playing for them again, they wouldn't have cut him. They could have accomplished the exact same thing (not paying his salary, not having him play on Sunday's) by suspending him indefinitely to begin with, or using the "exempt" list that the Vikings and Panthers are now using.

 

I don't see a scenario where he plays for this franchise again.

[gabefergy]

No. The Ravens cut him before the ban came down.

[uhhhh]

It has already been stated by the owner that he'll never play for the Ravens again

[MTRavensFan]

It has already been stated by the owner that he'll never play for the Ravens again

 

On that note, I think we can close this thread, and continue the conversation where it belongs:

 

http://boards.baltimoreravens.com/topic/60063-merged-ray-rice-released-and-suspended/