https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2dsYk2gZOU
Ray Rice’s wife finally dishes on the day that changed her life forever
Earlier this year, TMZ released a video of Ray Rice dragging his unconscious fiance, Janay, out of an Atlantic City elevator. He was subsequently suspended for 2 games by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Later in the year, this September, TMZ released the video of what happened inside the elevator, and Ray Rice’s life and career came crashing down. He was released by the Ravens, suspended indefinitely by the league and all his sponsors pulled out the rug from under him. In the wake of a ruined image, a then dead-end career and criminal punishment, Rice fought back, and somehow won. He’s been reinstated by the league, and some sports analysts are saying he has a chance to be on an NFL team by the end of the season. Now that the worst is behind them, Janay Rice has spoken freely–first with ESPN, and most recently with Matt Lauer of NBC–about what happened inside that elevator, and how it has changed her and her family’s life.
According to Mrs. Rice–Janay and Ray were married in March shortly after news of the elevator incident initially broke–Ray doesn’t have a history of violence within their relationship, and had never been violent towards her prior to that fateful Valentine’s day. She tells a story of a day that was doomed from the start, thanks to Valentine’s Day plans that didn’t work out in her favor and a night of drinking and pointless arguments. Janay Rice maintains that her recollection of what happened inside the actual elevator remains “foggy,” and the one thing she remembers the most is being in tears after she came to and both she and her husband were arrested.
As for the Ravens’ severance of their relationship with the Rice family, Rice said she feels betrayed by the only team her husband has ever played for (Baltimore drafted Rutgers standout Ray Rice in the 2nd round with the 55th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft). Furthermore, she says the Ravens attempted to get her to apologize at the first press conference she and Ray held following the incident.
You can watch the first part of a two part interview with NBC’s Matt Lauer and Janay Rice above, and read her dissertation of sorts on ESPN here.
