[ot-caption title=”Ray Rice and Janay Palmer address a news conference (via AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)” url=”https://pcpawprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/ray-rice.jpg”]

On March 27, 2014, former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was arrested and indicted for third-degree aggravated assault towards his then-fiancée Janay Palmer in the elevator of a casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. What gave this arrest more media attention than most domestic violence arrests was the horrifying video caught of Rice dragging his unconscious fiancée out of the elevator. This sparked a lot of buzz around the National Football League and many pondered what the ultimate punishment would be from Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Fast forward to July 25, 2014, and Rice finds his name back in the headlines as Commissioner Roger Goodell issues Rice a 2-game suspension. Many were outraged by this minor suspension, especially compared to that of Josh Gordon, who was suspended for the entire 2014 NFL season after failing two drug tests, testing positive for marijuana. It was never made 100 percent clear if Commissioner Goodell had seen the footage of the video, but he stood by his 2-game suspension and felt as if it were fair.

However, just days ago on September 8, 2014, the video surfaced only to spark angst amongst the public and possibly end Ray Rice’s football career. The footage displays Rice striking his wife once, and then a second time after she steps towards him. This video not only shows how gruesome Rice’s actions were in the elevator but also begs the question of why he was only suspended for two games. Many are speculative on whether or not the NFL did truly see the footage of what transpired in the video. Ex-FBI Director Robert Mueller has now been hired to investigate the case of the NFL to find out what exactly went wrong.

Why did Commissioner Goodell issue only a 2-game suspension after seeing this horrid video? Did he even see the video? Answers are yet to come, and the NFL is in a tight situation.

Sources:  New York Daily News, CBS Sports