Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice plans to appeal the indefinite suspension he received from the NFL, sources told NBCSports.com on Sunday. Rice has until 11:59 Tuesday night to file the appeal, which is being handled by his attorney and the NFLPA.
The league suspended Rice last week after a video was released by TMZ showing the Pro Bowler punching his then-fiancée, Janay Palmer, in the face and knocking her unconscious. The domestic violence assault happened in February.
Rice and Palmer have since gotten married.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell initially handed Rice a two-game ban in July, but increased the punishment after the video was made public. Before the video was released, however, Goodell was heavily criticized for banning Rice for only two games. Despite increasing the penalty since the video's release, Goodell continues to receive public scrutiny.
The commissioner insists that he did not see the video before delivering the two-game ban, despite asking prosecutors to make it available to the NFL. Goodell claims Rice's version of his assault on Palmer was not corroborated by the video.
Goodell's assertion that his request for a copy of the video went unanswered has been refuted. An unnamed New Jersey State law enforcement official recently offered proof to The Associated Press confirming that an NFL employee received a copy of the video.
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