Fans of the team and of sports in general had differing opinions on the Baltimore Ravens’ decision to recognize former franchise running back Ray Rice (who won the Super Bowl with the Flock back in February 2013) prior to their game against the Miami Dolphins last Sunday.
After becoming an icon in Baltimore, Rice’s professional playing career ended prematurely due to a widely publicized domestic abuse case. Rice was a key member of the team between the end of the aughts and the beginning of the previous decade.
When Rice and his family were honored at The Bank on Sunday, the fans who were there to see the Dolphins game reacted to him favorably. According to a poll and several interviews done by the Baltimore Banner, the majority of fans thought that Rice was an excellent performer and approved of the team’s decision to celebrate him last weekend.
The recognition was given almost ten years after the event that changed Rice’s public persona and career, something he has largely managed to mend since then. Since then, Rice has worked to raise awareness of domestic abuse, has given public speeches about it, and has attempted to utilize his personal experience to assist and inform others.
Ultimately, as was to be expected, some supporters showed forgiveness and acknowledged his attempts to make up for previous transgressions, while a smaller group of fans continued to criticize the team for choosing to reward a player of that caliber in light of his off-field problems.
Before kickoff on Sunday, Rice stated, “You have to do something significant in your life in order to be a legend.” For the record, Rice made this comment because the Ravens were recognizing him as a “Legend of the Game.”
“It can be beneficial or detrimental,” Rice went on. “I believe that the job completed today is what it means for me to start the new year. On that football field, I am aware of what I did. I’ve been doing it, and having it here on New Year’s Eve is the greatest celebration I could hope for. “This is my Super Bowl ahead of ours,” he said.
After playing in the NFL for six years, beginning in 2008 and ending in 2013, Rice was cut by the Ravens. With Baltimore, he played in 92 games—80 of which he started—and won the Super Bowl.
Regardless of how you view it, the running back is a true Ravens legend in terms of performance. In his short career, Rice amassed 9,214 yards from scrimmage in 1,799 touches, scored 37 touchdowns on the ground, and added six more on throw plays.
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