Nearly one year after becoming the poster child for the NFL’s image problem, and five months after the Ravens terminated his contract, Ray Rice says he is humbled.
The three-time Pro Bowl running back sparked a national debate on domestic violence following the release of surveillance video from an Atlantic City casino that showed Rice punching his wife in a hotel elevator. The ordeal has led Rice to comment on his understanding of depression and why people may contemplate ending it all.
“The big picture of it all, being the person that I am, I really felt horrible,” Rice said in a recent interview with The Baltimore Sun. “You almost want to punish yourself. I know I’m never going to win the battle of public opinion. Honestly, I almost felt like at one point that it wasn’t worth living. I see why people commit suicide.”
The NFL reinstated the 28-year-old in November, but Rice has yet to receive a contract offer. The New Rochelle native and former Rutgers star eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in four of six years as a professional, but said he knows the NFL is in a transition period.
“I’m optimistic that I’ll get a second chance,” he told the newspaper. “I don’t think this boils down to whether I can play football or not. Obviously I know that. I just think there’s so much more that comes with it. I know the PR side of it will be tough. I understand that.”