Here's why Ray Rice is willing to play for free if an NFL teams signs him
The former Ravens running back has special plans for his salary if he gets signed
By
John Breech
•
2 min read
Former Ravens running back Ray Rice hasn't played in the NFL since September 2014, when the Ravens cut him after a video emerged of Rice punching his wife in an elevator.
Shortly after the video came out, Rice was suspended indefinitely by the NFL.
Although the suspension was eventually overturned in November 2014, Rice is still unemployed, and things don't look to be getting any better on that front.
In the 20 months since his reinstatement, the running back hasn't received a single contract offer from an NFL team.
The 29-year-old knows that he's running out of time if he wants to return to the NFL, so he's trying something different. During a recent interview with USA Today, Rice said that if an NFL team is willing to sign him to a contract this season, he'd be willing to play for free.
Instead of collecting a paycheck, Rice would donate everything he earns to a domestic violence program.
"All the scrutiny that I've got, it was deserved, because domestic violence is a horrible thing," Rice said. "Me donating my salary is something that'll be from the heart for me. I only want to play football so I can end it the right way for my kids and for the people that really believed in me. But I know there's a lot of people affected by domestic violence, and every dollar helps. It's raising awareness."
If an NFL team were to sign Rice, the three-time Pro Bowler would be entitled to at least $885,000, which is the veteran minimum for someone with Rice's experience.
"I've donated a lot of money to charities, but I had a situation where it was a national crisis," Rice said. "I'm not saying I'd be (donating the salary) to get on the field, but it's something that will show where my heart is. My heart is about finishing the right way and helping people along the way."
Even if Rice ends up donating the $885,000, he says that's still not enough.
"I think the biggest donation that you can give to domestic violence is your time," Rice said. "I'm not just going to be giving it because I have money. I'm going to be giving it because I did the background and the research and spent a lot of time with people who understand the cause."
The former Ravens running back says he's spent the past two years trying to raise awareness for domestic violence.
"The only way to fix the problem is awareness. It's an epidemic," Rice said. "I know that my situation raised awareness. I'm not thankful for being that guy, but I'm thankful for the people that now are not afraid to ask for help, because I had to go get the help myself after to realize the severity of what domestic violence is."
Rice earned roughly $29.7 million during his six-year career.
