Embattled Rutgers football coach Kyle Flood received a vote of confidence this week from a strange source.

Arguably the NFL's biggest pariah.

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Former Ravens running back Ray Rice showed strong support for Flood in comments made to nj.com.

Flood was Rutgers' offensive line coach from 2005-07 when Rice played there. The Scarlet Knights coach is serving a three-game suspension and was fined $50,000 for improper contact with a professor over one of his football player's academics, which is a violation of school policy, nj.com also reported.

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"As far as being a great coach, I think that speaks for itself," Rice told NJ.com. "But he's just overall a great person. One thing he cares about -- he cares about the kids winning on and off the field. He cares about the academics as much as their progress on the field, as well. He really cares. I can say that genuinely with him being there for me and everything else. But he genuinely cares about the first and last guy on the team and he just wants the best for all of them."

Rice still is looking for work in the NFL, some 19 months after he was charged with domestic violence over an incident with his then-girlfriend and now-wife Janay at an Atlantic City casino elevator.

Two videos of the incident that TMZ made public led to Rice's dismissal from the Ravens before the 2014 season and his suspension from the NFL. A judge later overturned his suspension but no NFL team has yet to show significant interest in the embattled running back.

The Browns, who had been linked to Rice as a possible destination, recently signed Shaun Draughn off their practice squad, significantly hurting Rice's chances of playing in 2015.

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