Ray Rice, the NFL’s face of domestic violence, is still not giving up on playing again despite two straight years off the field. TMZ caught up with Rice in Los Angeles, and he said he’ll “never give up” trying to get back on an NFL team.
"Honestly, I'm never going to give up," Rice said. "You don't want to give up something you started. You want to finish the right way."
Ignoring Ray Rice May Have Ruined The Steelers' Season
Rice has two things working against him. First, the PR hit will be massive for any team that signs Rice, even though he has been humble and apologetic since his disgraceful domestic violence incident. Second, his last season, 2013, was a disaster on the field. He rushed for just 680 yards in 15 games, and lost more than a yard per carry on his average from 2012.
That said, “sources” told TMZ that NFL teams do have interest in him. That has been a familiar trope, but the playoffs are turning those into more credible reports. The Patriots and Steelers both looked very much like teams that had a need for Rice, and so did the Packers are various points in 2015.
Deion Sanders Rips Patriots For Not Signing Ray Rice
The Patriots are racked with injuries at RB, and signed veteran Steven Jackson to carry the load. He led New England with 16 yards on Saturday, and the Patriots rushed for just 38 yards total. Against the Broncos, and the Cardinals or Panthers if they advance to the Super Bowl, that’s unlikely to cut it.
The Steelers were also victimized by injuries at running back, losing Le’Veon Bell midseason and DeAngelo Williams toward the end. Fitzgerald Toussaint was the primary ball-carrier in the Divisional round, and he committed a game-changing fumble that vaulted the Broncos to an AFC Championship berth.
There is no guarantee that Rice would be much better than these players, but he was one of the NFL’s stars at his peak. Rice is only 29 years old, and he’s only had one bad season as a pro. Because of his off-field troubles, Rice will come as cheap as a veteran can, so taking a swing on his upside is a no-brainer, especially for teams only seeking depth behind a clear starter.
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