It's been almost two years since the Baltimore Ravens cut Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice after video surfaced of him beating his then-fiance in a casino elevator. Since then, Rice has focused on slowly rebuilding his reputation until an NFL team would give him another chance.
He and his wife, Janay, surprised young cheerleaders with new uniforms. An anti-domestic violence group said he deserves a second chance. He seems to have good perspective on his issues.
Now Rice is taking what appears to be another positive action: he says he'll donate his full first-year salary to domestic violence prevention programs if a team signs him, according to USA Today.
“All the scrutiny that I’ve got, it was deserved, because domestic violence is a horrible thing,” Rice said. “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."
The minimum amount Rice could make is $885,000.
Training camps open next week, and because Rice, 29, has not yet been invited to one, it's unlikely we'll see him back on the field this year. Regardless of whether Rice ever plays another down, this seems like a good sign that the guy is getting his life back together.
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