X

Ray Rice 'Done with Football,' Discusses Domestic Violence and Kareem Hunt

Mike Chiari@mikechiariX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistDecember 18, 2018

Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice sits on the sideline in the second half of an NFL preseason football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Nick Wass/Associated Press

Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice is no longer interested in an NFL comeback.

During an interview Tuesday on CBS This Morning (h/t ESPN.com), Rice declared his football career to be over: "I'll be the first one to say it: I don't have to retire to tell you I'm done with football. The pressure I was under of being a star, that was the person I hated the most."

Rice was suspended indefinitely by the NFL and released by the Ravens in 2014 after video surfaced showing him punching his then-fiancee and now-wife Janay Rice in an elevator.

Following his suspension and release, Rice was never signed by another NFL team.

The 31-year-old also spoke about former Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt.

Hunt was released by the Chiefs this season after video showed him pushing and kicking a woman at a Cleveland hotel.

Rice said he sees "similarities" between his situation and that of Hunt.

Despite the assault, Rice and Janay still got married, which he considers to be his new lease on life rather than returning to football.

With regard to whether Hunt deserves another chance in the NFL, Rice said he wants to know more about the former Chiefs star as a person:

"Somewhere down the line everybody who's sayin', 'Does he deserve a second chance for football?' And this that and the other— I actually got my second chance.

"During my darkest moments, and I used to ask myself, 'How could she even be—want to support me?' ... That's understandable. But I think what's misunderstood about us is that the friends we were before the incident. That's why, like I said, when I look at Kareem Hunt, I wanna know what his life was like. I want to know what happened in life. I know Kareem has apologized, and has expressed remorse for survivors of domestic violence."

After his release, Hunt was interviewed by ESPN's Lisa Salters, and he was remorseful for his actions: "It was just a long night. To be exact, it don't really matter what happened. I was in the wrong. I could have took responsibility and made the right decision to find a way to de-escalate the situation."

While Rice was a three-time Pro Bowler, the decision to release him was made even easier for Baltimore based on the fact that he averaged just 3.1 yards per carry in 2013.

Meanwhile, Hunt is just 23 years old and was well on his way to his second Pro Bowl nod in as many seasons after leading the NFL in rushing as a rookie in 2017.

Hunt cleared waivers following his release by Kansas City and is now a free agent.