Ray Rice reportedly told the ‘full truth’ about knocking out his wife to Roger Goodell at a June meeting
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Version 0 of 1. What exactly did the NFL know about Ray Rice‘s February assault on his then-fiancee before Monday, when video of the incident was leaked to the public? Four sources told ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” that the league knew everything, whether they watched the video or not, because Rice told them so. This contradicts NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s insistence that, according to the information they gleaned from Rice and his representatives, “it was ambiguous about what actually happened.” Per ESPN: Goodell made the statement Tuesday during an interview with CBS News, saying the latest video released by TMZ Sports about the incident was “inconsistent” with what the former Baltimore Ravens running back had told him. But four sources close to Rice say that during the disciplinary meeting in the commissioner’s office on June 16, Rice told Goodell he had hit Janay Rice, then his fiancee, in the face inside a Revel Casino Hotel elevator in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and had knocked her unconscious. Goodell made the statement Tuesday during an interview with CBS News, saying the latest video released by TMZ Sports about the incident was “inconsistent” with what the former Baltimore Ravens running back had told him. But four sources close to Rice say that during the disciplinary meeting in the commissioner’s office on June 16, Rice told Goodell he had hit Janay Rice, then his fiancee, in the face inside a Revel Casino Hotel elevator in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and had knocked her unconscious. “Ray didn’t lie to the commissioner,” one of ESPN’s sources said. “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.” A second source chimed in: “He told the truth. This is a public lynching of Ray.” Then a third and a fourth confirmed. A fifth source, however, had a slightly different take. That source said Rice told Goodell that he “slapped” his then-fiancee, ESPN reports. All five people that ESPN talked to spoke anonymously, just like the law enforcement officer who dropped a bombshell to the Associated Press on Wednesday, insisting he had sent and the NFL had received the damning video back in April. That AP report, released Wednesday, inspired the NFL to initiate an independent investigation headed by former FBI head Robert Mueller III, and overseen by NFL owners John Mara of the New York Giants and Art Rooney of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The investigation has no timeline, so it is unclear when its findings will come to light, although both Mara and Rooney have promised to “get the truth” then make that truth public. As to the latest ESPN report that Goodell knew more than has been letting on, it is another strike to the commissioner’s faltering credibility. Already, several people have called for the commissioner to resign, including Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), the head of the National Organization for Women and several NFL players. NFL owners, meanwhile, have mostly stuck by Goodell’s side, although at least one reportedly said he predicted Goodell would lose owner support if the investigation proved Goodell or other NFL executives saw the video before Monday. Goodell will not go easily, however. He is said to be adamant about keeping his job. |