The Ray Rice news is the talk of the town for weeks. The player was suspended by the Baltimore Ravens because of domestic violence following the release of a video where he was seen punching his wife, Janay Palmer. The NFL also took actions by suspending the 27-year old running back indefinitely. Although the suspension has been handed already, this saga is far from over.
After the league made its move, it is now time for Ray Rice's camp to take actions. CBS Sports NFL insider Jason La Canfora revealed that the camp of Ray and Janay Rice has already discussed their possible move with their lawyers and the group planning to fight the suspension.
"The NFLPA, which has until Tuesday to formally respond to the suspension, is also planning on fighting the suspension, sources said, not wanting to allow a precedent where a player is sanctioned multiple times by the NFL for the same incident," La Canfora wrote.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's action divided fans and football experts alike. Some are all right with it while others think it was too harsh. In a letter to Rice, Goodell explained that there is a need for additional discipline because the player's account of the incident was 'starkly different' from the one that was shown on the video released by TMZ.
However, according to ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr, some sources said that Rice came out completely clean to Goodell before the latter's office requested for and received the video.
Ray didn't lie to the commissioner," one source with knowledge of the meeting told Van Natta Jr. "He told the full truth to Goodell -- he made it clear he had hit her, and he told Goodell he was sorry and that it wouldn't happen again."
Rice's camp is also expected to get back his supposed salary for this year.
"They have advised the family that they would aim to recoup his salary lost for 2014 beyond the original fine he was facing from the first suspension, and demand that he be re-instated shortly after the Super Bowl," La Canfora said.
"From the union standpoint, NFLPA officials believe the CBA itself limits the league from imposing two penalties for the same transgression. League officials I spoke to have a different take and disagree the document explicitly rejects "double jeopardy." League officials admit they expect the NFLPA to fight that premise."
