Sports

Ray Rice Wins NFL Appeal of Indefinite Suspension

The former Ravens running back is eligible to play professional football again.

Reisterstown resident Ray Rice has won his appeal of the indefinite suspension handed down by the NFL as the result of an assault charge involving his wife, according to NBC Sports.

As a result, he may sign with any team in the NFL, ESPN reported.

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Rice, 27, was suspended from the league in September by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after TMZ released footage of the football player knocking out his then-fiancee inside an elevator at Atlantic City’s Revel Casino Hotel in February.

Previously, Goodell had issued a two-game suspension in July for Rice’s violation of the league’s code of conduct in connection with the Feb. 15 assault.

Find out what's happening in Owings Mills-Reisterstownfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The NFL Players Association, which filed the appeal on Rice’s behalf, claimed that he was punished twice for the same offense.

NFL officials said Rice had not been honest in the initial investigation, according to NBC Sports.

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome testified that Rice told Goodell what happened in the assault, according to ESPN, which reported that U.S. District Judge Barbara Jonesβ€”who oversaw the appealβ€”ruled Rice did not lie or mislead the NFL.

Though his contract was terminated with Baltimore Ravens, Rice is now eligible to play again in the NFL.

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