The "Just Say No To Ray Rice Movement" has made its way to Phoenix. And it could cost a team a chance for a Super Bowl appearance.
An NFL source was brief in his response to a question about the possibility of contacting the embattled running back and NFL domestic violence poster child to replace the injured Chris Johnson in the Cardinals backfield, according to The Arizona Republic.
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"An NFL source on Tuesday provided a firm 'no' as to whether the Cardinals could consider signing Rice," according to the report.
Johnson suffered a chip fracture near his knee joint that will require 6-8 weeks recovery time, another Republic report indicated. The Cardinals signed Kerwynn Williams from the practice squad.
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Rice maintains that he's being blackballed from the league because of the knockout punch he threw at his girlfriend around Valentine's Day at an Atlantic City casino in 2014. TMZ obtained footage of a elevator security camera that caught Rice in the act.
The Ravens immediately cut the running back and the NFL suspended him indefinitely. Rice was reinstated in November of 2014, but few teams have been knocking on his door since.
"There's been interest, but, obviously even when I was with Baltimore, they had me until they didn't," Rice told WFAN's Boomer & Carton, via NJ.com. "What it boils down to is when I was able to affect other things outside of football -- sponsorship, etc. -- that's when it becomes a real big issue. To bring in a guy like me, it becomes a big issue. If a sponsor dropped off board, that plays a lot. I know this has nothing to do with my talent."
The 9-2 Cardinals loom as the biggest contender to the NFC favorite Panthers for that conference's representative in Super Bowl 50. If Johnson, who has 814 rushing yards this season, is healthy, he could come back if the Cardinals reach the Super Bowl.
In the meantime, the Cardinals will go with Andre Ellington, who has 652 yards with a 5.5-yard average per carry this year (but he had a 3.3-yard average in 2014), David Johnson (139 yards this season) and Williams, who had 246 rushing yards last season.
Rice is a four-time Pro Bowler with 6,130 yards over a six-year NFL career. He had a 3.1-yard average in 2013 -- his last season in the league.
Without his domestic violence issue hanging over his head, the Cardinals would be falling over themselves to sign him with a possible Super Bowl berth at stake. But the team's quick refusal speaks to blackball plight that Rice could face until the day he stops trying to return.
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