In a move not terribly surprising given his current appeal of the NFL’s indefinite suspension handed down on Sept. 8, running back Ray Rice is now going after his former team as well.
Multiple outlets reported Tuesday night that Rice has filed a grievance against the Ravens for wrongful termination, challenging the organization’s decision to terminate his contract after the second video of the 27-year-old punching his then-fiancée was released by TMZ on the morning after the 2014 season opener. Rice was originally given a two-game suspension by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and is challenging that the collective bargaining agreement only permits one punishment for an infraction.
If successful, Rice would receive the $3.529 million in base salary that was scheduled to be paid to him after he served his original suspension. His appeal against the NFL’s indefinite ban will be heard on Nov. 5 and 6, but it remains unclear when his grievance against the Ravens will be heard.
As some sports legal experts have pointed out, Rice may face long odds in winning a dispute against the Ravens because of NFL teams’ wide freedom in cutting players with the lack of guaranteed contracts. The seventh-year running back was coming off a career-worst season in which he averaged just 3.1 yards per carry, but the organization’s public support throughout his ordeal leading up to the release of the second video would appear to help his case.
Rice signed a five-year, $35 million contract in the summer of 2012 and has been paid $25 million of it entering the 2014 season.
Rice reportedly files grievance against Ravens for wrongful termination
Luke Jones
Luke Jones is the Ravens and Orioles beat reporter for WNST BaltimorePositive.com and is a PFWA member. His mind is consumed with useless sports knowledge, pro wrestling promos, and movie quotes, but he often forgets where he put his phone. Luke's favorite sports memories include being one of the thousands of kids who waited for Cal Ripken's autograph after Orioles games in the summer of 1995, attending the Super Bowl XXXV victory parade with his dad in the pouring rain, and watching the Terps advance to the Final Four at the Carrier Dome in 2002. Follow him on social media @BaltimoreLuke or email him at Luke@wnst.net.
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