ARLINGTON, TX – AUGUST 16: Ray Rice #27 of the Baltimore Ravens sits on the bench against the Dallas Cowboys in the first half of their preseason game at AT&T Stadium on August 16, 2014 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
By Arthur Weinstein on

The Baltimore Ravens announced Friday they are honoring Ray Rice Sunday during their game against the Miami Dolphins.

NFL fans immediately wondered which Ray Rice is being honored. Is it the workhorse running back who had a prolific career with the Ravens … or the Rice whose career ended suddenly after a highly publicized video showed him punching his then-fiancée unconscious in an elevator?

The Ravens will honor Rice as their “Legend of the Game,” with the event coincidentally coming 10 years to the day of his last NFL game.

Ravens President Sashi Brown lauded Rice for his on-field accomplishments, then tackled the obvious controversy involved in the team making such a decision.

“Importantly, after Ray’s incident he owned it,” Brown said in a statement. “On his own accord, Ray undertook critical work within himself and to bring awareness to and educate others on domestic violence.

“Nothing will change his past or make it right, but Ray’s work has allowed him to atone for his actions and rebuild relationships personally and professionally, including with the Ravens.”

Rice is without question one of the Ravens’ all-time greats. He posted four straight seasons with more than 1,100 yards from 2009 through 2012, making three Pro Bowls and leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage during that stretch. He played on the Super Bowl XLVII championship team and was a popular and charismatic figure on and off the field.

But that incident the night of Feb. 15, 2014 changed that perception. You can find video of the incident here, and details of what happened and his subsequent indefinite NFL suspension here.

Rice, 36, went on to marry the woman, Janay Palmer, and they have two children, Rayven (11) and Jaylen (7), The former Ravens star coaches youth football, has worked with domestic violence groups, and has spoken to NFL and college teams to share his story.

Almost 10 years later, Rice has apologized countless times for that brutal act, and the Ravens believe he has atoned for that terrible moment. Will fans feel the same way Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium? Some fans on X/Twitter were outraged the Ravens are honoring Rice, but that raises tough questions about forgiveness.

Either way, the crowd reaction will tell the story when Rice is introduced Sunday.

[Baltimore Ravens]

About Arthur Weinstein

Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.

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