Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Phil Taylor picked up a 15-yard penalty in Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens for slapping running back Ray Rice in the helmet. Taylor wouldn’t say what led him to hit Rice but hinted that Rice spit him on. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said Monday he didn’t see any evidence that Rice spit on Taylor but Taylor is firm in his belief that Rice followed the example of former Baltimore Orioles player Roberto Alomar.
A league source tells PFT’s Mike Florio that Taylor insists that Rice did spit on him and that there is video evidence to prove it that will be sent to the league office for review.
Taylor and Rice came face-to-face after Desmond Bryant stopped Rice for a 3-yard loss on the second play of the game. Browns’ linebacker D’Qwell Jackson told Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer that someone yelled he got spit on after the play.
If there is documented video evidence of the altercation, Rice could face a penalty from the league retroactively for the action.