Rice became embroiled in controversy during the 2014 offseason when a video surfaced of him physically attacking his fiancée. After being indicted for aggravated assault, Rice was released by the Ravens and suspended indefinitely by the NFL. Although Rice successfully appealed the indefinite suspension, the incident effectively ended his professional career as no teams signed him in free agency.
Early life
Rice was born to parents Janet Rice and Calvin Reed in New Rochelle, New York, on January 22, 1987. His father was killed in a drive-by shooting when Ray was a year old. Rice's cousin, Myshaun Rice-Nichols, was killed by a drunk driver when Rice was ten.[1][2][3][4]
Rice attended New Rochelle High School, where he played football for longtime coach Lou DiRienzo. He was the Huguenots' primary running back. The last Iona–New Rochelle Turkey Bowl football game, which had been waged every year since 1949, was played in Rice's sophomore season of 2002, when New Rochelle defeated the Gaels 53–6.[5] Rice led his team to a state title as a junior in 2003 when NRHS defeated Webster Schroeder 32–6 at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse. In Rice's senior year of 2004, New Rochelle fell to Christian Brothers Academy, who had Greg Paulus, 41–35 in the championship game. New Rochelle High School lost only one game in each of three seasons of varsity football. Rice holds the state record for yards in a single game: he gained 462 yards on 42 carries on October 24, 2004.[6]
College career
Rice (#27) with Rutgers playing against the Pittsburgh Panthers
Rice attended Rutgers University–New Brunswick, where he played football for coach Greg Schiano's Scarlet Knights from 2005 to 2007.[7] In Rice's freshman year, Rutgers had its first winning season in 13 years and played in only the second bowl in the football program's then 136-year history. In 2006, the Scarlet Knights won a school record-tying 11 games and registered the school's highest-ever season-ending national poll ranking, finishing at #12 in both the Associated Press and Coaches Polls.[8][9][10]
As a true freshman, Rice finished the season as the starting tailback for Rutgers. Rice rushed for 1,120 yards and five touchdowns during his freshman campaign, including a 217-yard performance against the Connecticut Huskies and a 195-yard performance against the Cincinnati Bearcats.[11][12]
As a sophomore, Rice gained 1,794 rushing yards with 20 touchdowns.[13] His rushing totals set Rutgers' single-season rushing yardage record, shattering J. J. Jennings' mark of 1,353 set in 1973. Rice's backfield partner during his freshman and sophomore seasons was fullback Brian Leonard.[14] Leonard considered entering the NFL draft in 2006 but stayed for his senior year and took on a less prominent role in the offense which aided Rice's rise to stardom.[15] Rice was a finalist for the Maxwell Award and finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting.[16] Rice was named Big East offensive player of the week a school-record three times in 2007. All three times, Rice rushed for over 200 yards, 201 yards against North Carolina, 202 yards against South Florida, and a career-high 225-yard game against the Pittsburgh Panthers.[17][18][19] Rice ended his sophomore season with 170 yards on 24 carries with one touchdown during the inaugural Texas Bowl to give Rutgers its first bowl victory ever in a 37–10 win over Kansas State.[20] He was named MVP of the game.[21]
Rice was widely considered a candidate for both the Maxwell Award and Heisman Trophy in 2007.[22][23]
On October 6, 2007, against the Cincinnati Bearcats, Rice scored his 35th career rushing touchdown, which set the all-time program record.[24] On November 9, 2007, against the Army Black Knights, Rice ran for 243 yards and scored twice in the 41–6 victory, setting a new school record previously set by Terrell Willis in 1994, and his new single-game record.[25][26] On January 5, 2008, at the second annual International Bowl in Toronto, Rice ran for a new school record of 280 yards, along with four touchdowns as Rutgers defeated Ball State 52–30.[27] One of the touchdown runs (90 yards) was the longest of his career. Rice won the MVP award for his performance.[28]
Following the season, Rice declared his intention to enter the 2008 NFL draft.[29]
Rice was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round (55th overall) of the 2008 NFL draft and signed a four-year deal with the Ravens worth $2.805 million plus a $1.1 million signing bonus.[32] He played for coach John Harbaugh, who coincidentally was in his first year as coach of the Ravens.[33] Rice wore number No. 39 during the preseason then switched to No. 27 (his number at Rutgers), after the Ravens cut cornerback Ronnie Prude.[34]
Rice made his first career start in his first NFL game, which was Week 1 of the 2008 season against the Cincinnati Bengals. Rice had a team-high 22 carries for 64 yards, fumbling once. Rice also had three receptions for 19 yards, in the Ravens 17–10 win.[35] Rice had his best game of the season in Week 9 against the Cleveland Browns filling in for the injured Willis McGahee where he ran for 154 yards on 21 carries.[36] Rice finished out the season with 546 rushing yards on 107 carries and had 273 receiving yards on 33 receptions.[37]
Rice signing autographs in 2009Rice at Ravens practice
2009 season
It was announced during training camp that Rice won the starting running back job over Willis McGahee for the 2009 NFL season, and that Le'Ron McClain would be switching back to full-time fullback duties. McClain and McGahee had been the primary running backs the previous year.
In the season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, Rice rushed for 108 yards on 19 carries, which was his second career 100-yard rushing game.[38] In Week 3, Rice rushed for his first professional touchdown against the Cleveland Browns.[39] On October 11, he caught his first touchdown reception against the Cincinnati Bengals.[40] On October 18, 2009, in Week 6, Rice led his team in both rushing and receiving yards against the Minnesota Vikings. He rushed for 77-yards off 10 carries, scoring two touchdowns. He also caught 10 passes for 117-yards in the 33–31 loss.[41] In Week 14, against the Detroit Lions, Rice had career-bests 166 rushing yards and 216 total yards, scoring one touchdown.[42] In Week 16, on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Rice had a career-high 30 carries and tallied 141 rushing yards, which broke a Steelers' streak of 32 consecutive games without allowing a 100-yard rusher.[43] He finished the season with 254 carries for 1,339 yards and 7 touchdowns, averaging 5.3 yards per carry.[44]
Rice was selected to the 2010 Pro Bowl, his first, on December 29, 2009.[45]
In the Wild Card Round against the New England Patriots on January 10, 2010, Rice scored an 83-yard touchdown run on the first offensive play for the Ravens, which was the longest play for the Ravens that season, the longest rush of his NFL career and the second longest rush in NFL postseason history.[46] The run was part of a 159-yard, two-touchdown performance in the 33–14 victory.[47] In the Divisional Round loss to the Indianapolis Colts, he had 13 carries for 67 rushing yards and a lost fumble as well as nine receptions for 60 yards.[48]
2010 season
On December 20, 2010, against the New Orleans Saints, Rice amassed a career-best 233 yards from scrimmage (153 rushing and 80 receiving) to go along with two touchdowns.[49] The 233 yards are also the third most in Ravens franchise history.[50] For his efforts, Rice was awarded his first AFC Offensive Player of the Week award.[51] On January 9, 2010, in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs against the Kansas City Chiefs, Rice became the first Ravens running back to have a receiving touchdown in a playoff game. He had 99 scrimmage yards and a receiving touchdown in the 30–7 victory.[52] In the Divisional Round loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, he had 64 scrimmage yards and rushing touchdown.[53]
Rice finished the 2010 season with 1,220 total rushing yards, and 556 total receiving yards.[54] He was ranked 56th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011.[55]
2011 season
In the season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Rice gained 107 yards rushing and a rushing touchdown, while recording four receptions for 42 yards and a receiving touchdown in the 35–7 victory.[56] This performance was only the second time a running back had gained more than 100 rushing yards against the Steelers defense since the 2009 season, both belonging to Rice. In Week 10, he threw his first career passing touchdown on a one-yard completion to tight end Ed Dickson in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks.[57] In Week 13, Rice ran for 204 yards against the Cleveland Browns, including a 68-yard touchdown, giving him his fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season as well as his third consecutive year with 1,000 rushing yards.[58] In the following game, Rice ran for 103 yards on 26 carries, averaging almost four yards per carry and scoring a touchdown (despite a lost fumble) in a win against the Indianapolis Colts.[59] In a Week 17 win against the Cincinnati Bengals, Rice rushed for 191 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown run in the first two minutes of the game and a 51-yard touchdown with less than six minutes left in the fourth quarter; this performance not only earned Rice AFC Offensive Player of the Week[60] but also helped the Ravens seal their first division title under John Harbaugh.[61][62] Rice finished the season with 1,364 yards off 291 attempts averaging 4.7 yards a carry. He also had 12 touchdowns. He was second in the league in total rush yards and finished first in total yards from scrimmage. Rice had 704 receiving yards off 76 catches averaging 9.3 yards a reception.[63] Rice was selected to his second Pro-Bowl in 2011 and voted to the NFL All-Pro Team.[64]
Rice was for the most part held in check during the 2012 playoffs, having just 47 touches for 158 yards and being kept out of the endzone in two games against the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round victory and the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship loss.[65][66] He was ranked 22nd on the NFL's Top 100 Players of 2012.[67]
On July 16, 2012, Rice agreed to a five-year, $35 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens after being franchise tagged earlier in the offseason.[68]
On November 25, 2012, the Ravens were down three with under two minutes left in a road game against the San Diego Chargers. The Ravens had the ball at their own 37 on a fourth and extremely long 29. Quarterback Joe Flacco passed short middle to Rice, who followed up by avoiding defenders for 29 yards and getting the first down in what Ravens' coach John Harbaugh dubbed as the play that will "go down in history."[69] The Ravens went on to tie the game at the conclusion of the drive with a field goal, and won the game in overtime. For his performance, he received the AFC offensive Player of the Week award[70] and the GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Week Award.[71] The play itself also received the nickname, "Hey Diddle-Diddle".[72] He finished the 2012 season with 1,143 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns to go along with 61 receptions for 478 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.[73] He was named to the Pro Bowl for the third time.[74]
In 2013, Rice got off to a slow start due to injury, but played in 15 games and had a career low 3.1 yards per carry.[77] In Week 11, Rice had his best game of the season, rushing for 131 yards on 25 carries in the Ravens 23–20 overtime loss to the Chicago Bears.[78] He rushed for 660 yards on 214 carries for four touchdowns in the 2013 season.[79]
Post suspension and retirement
While on suspension for his domestic violence case, Rice was released by the Ravens on September 8, 2014. After the public release of the video of the incident from TMZ, the NFL announced he was suspended indefinitely; moreover, the Ravens recalled all Rice items from their pro shop as well as other known stores nationwide, and announced an exchange program the day after.[80][81] Shortly after, it was announced that Rice would appeal the suspension on the grounds that he was suspended twice for the same offense, which is a violation of league rules.[82] On November 28, 2014, it was announced that he won his appeal to be reinstated in the NFL.[83]
On January 15, 2015, Rice and the Ravens reportedly agreed to settle his lawsuit against the team. He had sued for $3.529 million in back pay that he would have earned for the final 15 weeks after serving the NFL's two-game suspension.[84][85] The settlement came immediately before the hearing was to begin in Baltimore, effectively ending the litigation between Rice and the Ravens.[84][85] In 2016, he vowed to donate all of that season's salary to domestic violence charities if he were signed by a team, but he remained unsigned.[86] In 2018, Rice announced that his football career was over.[87]
On February 15, 2014, Rice and his fiancée (now wife),[89] Janay Palmer, were arrested and charged with assault after a physical altercation at the then Revel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. After a night of heavy drinking, Palmer and Rice got into an argument and Rice then followed Palmer into an elevator after he left the table where they had been seated. They then shouted obscenities at each other and Palmer appeared to spit in Rice's face before he struck her.[90][91] On February 19, celebrity news website TMZ posted a video of Rice and Palmer hitting each other in an elevator, with Rice punching her in the face, causing her to fall and hit her head on the elevator handrail and lose consciousness, and then dragging her out of the elevator.[92] The Ravens issued a statement following TMZ's release of the video, calling Rice's domestic violence arrest a "serious matter". The matter was handled by the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office.[93] On September 8, 2014, a law enforcement official showed the Associated Press a video of the incident with audio of the elevator incident and that was longer than the video released by TMZ Sports.[91]
On March 27, 2014, a grand jury indicted Rice on third-degree aggravated assault, with a possible jail sentence of three to five years and a fine of up to $15,000.[94] Six weeks after the incident, Rice married Palmer on March 28, 2014.[95] For the incident, Rice was suspended for the first two games of the 2014 NFL season on July 25, 2014. The criminal charges were later dropped after Rice agreed to undergo court-supervised counseling.[96] In a news conference announcing longer suspension lengths for future domestic violence incidents, NFL CommissionerRoger Goodell said that he "didn't get it right" in deciding Rice's punishment.[97]
In January 2015, the Baltimore Ravens settled the claim after Rice filed a formal grievance against the NFL for wrongful termination. Rice demanded $3.5 million based on the claim that the Ravens imposed a second punishment upon him by terminating his employment weeks after the NFL levied a two-game suspension.[98] Although the details of the settlement were not disclosed, it was estimated that he received most of his claim.[98]
Charitable works
Rice is known for his community service.[99] In 2012, he was voted the city of Baltimore's most charitable person.[100] Causes that Rice was involved in include the Make-A-Wish Foundation, cyberbullying prevention, and homeless aid. In 2016, Rice and a friend gave Christmas presents to children from low-income families.[101]
Since the end of his career, Rice has also become a motivational speaker, addressing high school students and college athletes by speaking out against domestic violence, using his assault charge as a cautionary tale.[102][103][104]
Related Research Articles
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its home games at M&T Bank Stadium and is headquartered in Owings Mills, Maryland.
Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr. is an American former professional football linebacker who played his entire 17-year career for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, where he earned All-America honors. He is considered one of the greatest linebackers of all time.
Anquan Kenmile Boldin Sr. is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2003 NFL draft. He also played for the Baltimore Ravens, the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions.
Jamal Lewis is an American former professional football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers and was selected fifth overall by the Ravens in the 2000 NFL draft. After spending his first seven seasons with the Ravens, Lewis signed a free agent contract with the Cleveland Browns before the 2007 season and retired after the 2009 season.
Edward Earl Reed Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL), spending the majority of his career with the Baltimore Ravens. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, where he played on Miami's 2001 national championship team and was named a unanimous All-American. He was selected by the Ravens in the first round of the 2002 NFL draft and played 11 seasons with them before playing with the Houston Texans and New York Jets in 2013.
Willis Andrew McGahee III is an American former professional football running back. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, earning consensus All-American honors. McGahee was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2003 NFL draft. In addition to his time with the Bills, he played for the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, and Cleveland Browns.
Jamaal RaShaad Jones Charles is an American former professional football running back who played 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Kansas City Chiefs. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns, where he won the 2006 Rose Bowl, and was selected by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft.
Tyrod Diallo Taylor is an American professional football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies and was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL draft.
Joseph Vincent Flacco is an American professional football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers and the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens and was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft.
Mark Valentino Ingram II is an American former professional football running back and current on-air personality for Fox Sports. He played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, becoming the first Alabama player to win the Heisman Trophy after rushing for 1,658 yards in 2009 en route to winning the 2010 BCS National Championship Game.
Bernard Hayward Pierce is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Temple Owls. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft.
Le'Veon Andrew Bell Sr. is an American professional boxer and former football running back. He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft. He also played for the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Rex Burkhead is a former American football running back. He played college football at Nebraska and was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL draft. After four seasons with the Bengals, Burkhead spent his next four seasons with the New England Patriots, where he appeared in consecutive Super Bowls and won Super Bowl LIII, the second of the two Super Bowls he appeared in. Burkhead signed with the Houston Texans in 2021 and spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons with them. After spending the 2023 NFL Season as an un-signed free agent, Burkhead announced his retirement from professional football during the 2024 off-season.
Kyle Juszczyk is an American professional football fullback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Harvard Crimson, and was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL draft.
Melvin Gordon III is an American professional football running back who is a free agent. He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers, earning unanimous All-American honors and winning the Doak Walker Award as the top college running back in 2014. He was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft with the 15th overall pick.
Terrance West is an American former professional football running back. He played college football at Towson and was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2014 NFL draft. West was also a member of the Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, and New Orleans Saints.
Derrick Lamar Henry Jr. is an American professional football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "King Henry", he is known for his imposing style of play and larger build than the average running back.
Lamar Demeatrice Jackson Jr. is an American professional football quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Louisville Cardinals, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2016, and was selected by the Ravens with the final pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. Intended to serve as a backup in his rookie season, Jackson became the Ravens' starting quarterback after an injury to the incumbent Joe Flacco. He went on to clinch a division title with the team and became the youngest NFL quarterback to start a playoff game at age 21.
Mark Andrews is an American professional football tight end for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma and was selected by the Ravens in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft. Andrews has been elected to the Pro Bowl three times and was named to the 2021 All-Pro Team after setting the Ravens' single-season record for receptions and receiving yards.
Augustus Edwards is a Liberian professional American football running back for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Miami (FL) before transferring to Rutgers and signed with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2018. Edwards' nickname is "Gus the Bus"; he is known for his large size and "bruising" running style.
References
↑ Beard, Zachary (May 19, 2010). "Ray Rice's Amazing Story". BaltimoreBeatdown.com. Archived from the original on August 15, 2017. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
↑ Wilson, Aaron (September 3, 2006). "AND THEN THERE WERE 53". Russell Street Report. Archived from the original on September 27, 2022. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
↑ "Ray Rice – Dragging Unconscious Fiancee ... After Alleged Mutual Attack"(video). TMZ. February 19, 2014. Archived from the original on September 9, 2014. Retrieved September 27, 2022. TMZ Sports has obtained footage of Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice dragging his fiancee (who appears to be out cold) out of an elevator in an Atlantic City casino ... moments after cops say they attacked each other on the property.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
