Ray Rice cut after release of video: BALTIMORE (AP) — Ray Rice was let go by the Baltimore Ravens on Monday and suspended indefinitely by the NFL after a video was released showing the running back striking his then-fiancee in February.
The grainy video, released by TMZ Sports, shows Rice and Janay Palmer in an elevator at an Atlantic City casino. Each hits the other before Rice knocks Palmer off her feet and into a railing. Months ago, a TMZ video showed Rice dragging Palmer, now his wife, from the elevator at the Revel casino, which closed Sept. 2.
Earlier Monday, the Ravens said they never saw the new video. Hours later, they sent out a one-sentence release:
“The Baltimore Ravens terminated the contract of RB Ray Rice this afternoon.”
Coach John Harbaugh said he met with Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, team president Dick Cass and general manager Ozzie Newsome after they saw the video, and they made the decision to let Rice go.
“It’s something we saw for the first time today, all of us,” Harbaugh said. “It changed things, of course. It made things a little bit different.”
The action represented a complete reversal for the team, even though an Atlantic City police summons stated that Rice caused “bodily injury to Janay Palmer, specifically by striking her with his hand, rendering her unconscious.”
The Ravens had used words like “respect” and “proud” in referring to Rice following his arrest.
When the NFL announced Rice’s two-game suspension for domestic violence on July 24, Newsome said: “We respect the efforts Ray has made to become the best partner and father he can be. That night was not typical of the Ray Rice we know and respect. We believe that he will not let that one night define who he is, and he is determined to make sure something like this never happens again.”
In late July, Harbaugh said, “The thing I appreciate about it is how Ray has handled it afterward by acknowledging it was wrong and he’ll do everything he can do to make it right. That’s what you ask for when someone does a wrong thing. So, I’m proud of him for that.”
Asked Monday night if Rice misled him, Harbaugh said he didn’t want to get into “all that.”
“I don’t think of it that way. Everything I said in terms of what I believe, I stand by,” he said. “I believe that still, and I’ll always believe those things, and (we’ll) always stand in support of them as a couple, and that’s not going to change.”
Rice said in a news conference this summer that his actions that night were “inexcusable.” But the Ravens never took action against him until after the second video was released.
The NFL, which has been working hard to promote the game to women, also took action after the explicit video was released. Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that, based on the new video evidence, Rice has been suspended indefinitely.
“We requested from law enforcement any and all information about the incident, including the video from inside the elevator,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Monday morning. “That video was not made available to us and no one in our office has seen it until today.”
Goodell indicated as much on Aug. 1 when during the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction weekend.
“When we’re going through the process of evaluating the issue and whether there will be discipline, you look at all of the facts that you have available to us,” Goodell said. “Law enforcement normally has more ... information, facts, than we have. We’ll get as much as we possibly can.”
Rice’s lawyer, Michael Diamondstein, declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press.
Rice, 27, stood to make $4 million this year.
AP Sources: 3 groups submit bids to buy Bills: ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Four people familiar with discussions have told The Associated Press that at least three groups — including Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula — have submitted formal bids to buy the Buffalo Bills.
The other groups submitting bids before a deadline Monday were led by real estate mogul Donald Trump and a Toronto group led by rocker Jon Bon Jovi.
The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because the sale is being conducted privately.
The bids were submitted to Morgan Stanley, the banking firm overseeing the sale process on behalf of late owner Ralph Wilson’s estate.
It’s unclear if another group has entered the bidding process over the past few weeks.
One of the people said an ownership candidate could be identified by as early as this week.
Top pick Clowney out 4-6 weeks after knee surgery: HOUSTON (AP) — No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Monday and will be out 4-6 weeks.
Coach Bill O’Brien said he didn’t know exactly what was repaired in Clowney’s knee.
Clowney was injured late in the second quarter in Sunday’s win over the Washington Redskins. He has struggled to stay on the field since joining the Texans.
He left a dual practice Aug. 20 after a helmet-to-helmet hit with Denver Broncos tight end Jacob Tamme. He missed the Texans’ final two preseason games, but said he passed the NFL protocols for head injuries in just over a week. He had to sit out the beginning of camp, too, after offseason surgery to repair a sports hernia.
Colts preparing for life without injured Mathis: INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Robert Mathis likely won’t get a chance to defend his NFL sacks title.
Less than two weeks after starting a four-game, league-imposed suspension, the Colts’ best pass rusher sustained an Achilles’ tendon injury while working out privately in Atlanta.
A person with knowledge of the injury told The Associated Press on Monday that Mathis tore the tendon, which would keep him out the entire season. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not confirmed the diagnosis.
A few hours later, coach Chuck Pagano said he would not speculate on the severity of the injury or how much time Mathis could miss — until team doctors examine Mathis on Tuesday. But it sure didn’t sound promising.
“We knew we were going to be without Robert for the first four games, but this is really a devastating blow for Robert and his family and this organization,” Pagano said. “This one stings.”
The injury occurred while Mathis was away from the team, serving his suspension.
