On February 15, 2014, Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice got onto an elevator with his then-fiancee, now-wife Janay Palmer in Atlantic City, New Jersey. When the doors opened, Palmer was unconscious. Rice?s lawyer referred to the incident as ?a minor physical altercation.? Despite public reaction to the violence, Rice was fined by the NFL and received a two game suspension by National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell. Goodell eventually extended the ban after a video of the incident made the rounds. On appeal, the suspension was overturned and Rice is free to play football again in the NFL: several teams have allegedly expressed interest.
On November 4, 2014, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson accepted a plea agreement which reduced felony child-abuse charges to a single misdemeanor charge of reckless assault. After Peterson was indicted, the Vikings initially were going to allow Peterson to play after he was indicted on Sept. 11, but they reversed course after a loud public backlash. Goodell issued a suspension without pay for the rest of the 2014 season. Today, Peterson remains on the Vikings roster, ready to play ball.
Read more at FORBES
