Ray Rice was reinstated into the NFL after winning his appeal last week, claiming the indefinite suspension for knocking his then-fiancee Janay Palmer unconscious in an elevator was unjust. Going by the law, it was probably the right decision. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had already levied a two-game ban on him for the same crime previously, and then tried to fix his error. That is ultimately Goodell’s problem, and he has egg on his face for it.
Rice will, and should, attempt a comeback. He should seek redemption and aim for a second Super Bowl title. He should look for another payday because his body is thrown on the scrap heap for good.
Rice should search for an NFL job until the end of time. And that is exactly what it should take, because nobody should sign him.
Not only is Rice a wife-beating clown, he’s a washed-up running back with little-to-no tread left on the tires. Before he decided to go all Mike Tyson on Palmer, Rice had a miserable 2013 season with the Baltimore Ravens. Rice averaged a pathetic 3.1 yards per carry last year, only better than Willis McGahee, Bernard Pierce and Trent Richardson. Overall, Rice finished with 660 rushing yards, the lowest total since his rookie year of 2008.
The talent pool for NFL players is extremely small, which is why guys like Donte Stallworth get a job after being convicted of DUI manslaughter. It is the same reason Adrian Peterson will be getting paid a mint either by the Minnesota Vikings or some other mindless, moral-free organization next year. Who cares that he beat his 3-year-old son with a tree branch when he can pick up a key third down?
The main difference between Rice and Peterson, of course, is their remaining ability. Peterson is still an elite player in the league while Rice is a middling back with his best days in the rear-view mirror. Rice’s best virtue is having the fresh legs he gained while fighting a suspension he received for popping a beautiful woman with a right cross for the ages. So far, a handful of teams such as the New Orleans Saints and Denver Broncos were rumored to be interested, but just as quickly were reportedly moving on.
If you are an owner, consider this. Is it worth having Rice on your team to play the role of supporting actor in the backfield when you are trying to sell jerseys and other merchandise to women everyday? How do you think a mother of two is going to feel when she walks into your already-overpriced team store and sees her favorite player’s uniform, only to have a nice “Rice 27” hanging next to it.
Rice is not just bad for the football team because of the insane media circus following his through the entrance gates, but he’s an anvil dragging down your bottom line. If we have learned anything about the NFL over the past 90 years, it is always about the money.
For the rest of the season, we will hear stories about Rice looking for a job. Here’s to hoping Rice never gets what he wants.