It’s been almost exactly a year since former Ravens running back Ray Rice was arrested after striking his fiancee in an Atlantic City elevator, leading to a disciplinary response from the NFL and Ravens criticized as too soft even before a video displaying exactly what happened came to light early in the 2014 season.
Rice was released by the team in the wake of that video’s release, but Rice sent no ill will their way in a statement he released on Friday morning. Rice thanked the Ravens and the city of Baltimore while apologizing for the incident that derailed his professional career.
“This is not a farewell or goodbye. The last seven years that my family and I have spent in Baltimore have by far been the best of our lives. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all for the love and support you’ve shown my family and I throughout my football career. We’ll always be grateful for the love we’ve received from all of our fans and supporters, and for winning a Super Bowl. To all the kids who looked up to me, I’m truly sorry for letting you down, but I hope it’s helped you learn that one bad decision can turn your dream into a nightmare. There is no excuse for domestic violence, and I apologize for the horrible mistake I made. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, and I hope to make a positive difference in people’s lives by raising awareness of this issue. Thank you, Baltimore Ravens, for all you have done for my family and I. I’m very grateful to Steve Bisciotti, Ozzie Newsome, John Harbaugh, and everyone at 1 Winning Drive. I love you all very much, and I’ll always be proud to say I played for the Baltimore Ravens. Thank you.”
Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reports that Rice continues working out in hopes of landing a chance with another team for the 2015 season, but has yet to meet with or work out for anyone.