Ray Rice has won his appeal against the NFL’s indefinite suspension and will be reinstated to the league immediately. That will leave NFL analysts wondering if anyone would sign the former Baltimore Ravens running back.
An NFL spokesman told ESPN that they would “accept the ruling as binding.” According to NBC Sports, Rice’s appeal was heard by former U.S. Judge Barbara S. Jones.
Rice was indefinitely suspended in September after TMZ leaked footage of his assault on his then-fiance Janay Palmer, who is now his wife, in February. Before the tape was released, the NFL only suspended Rice for two games, a move that was widely criticized even before the elevator video came out.
Once that tape did come out, Rice’s Ravens contract was terminated and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell handed down his suspension. The NFLPA argued that Goodell did not have the power to suspend Rice twice for the same instance of domestic violence, while the NFL claimed that Rice didn’t tell them the whole truth before the tape’s release.
Jones heard testimony from both Rice and his wife on Nov. 6. Goodell testified on Nov. 5.
Rice, 27, will now be able to sign with another NFL team, but it will be interesting to see if any decides that his skills are worth the attention he will bring. The running back is a three-time Pro Bowler and did play a significant role in the Ravens’ Super Bowl XLVII championship.
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