Ray Rice: 'Horrendous' Flub Not Saying Sorry to Janay

'The only thing I can hope for ... is a 2nd chance," ex-Ravens player says
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 2, 2014 11:40 AM CST

Janay Rice told Matt Lauer yesterday that "I can't say [NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell] is telling the truth" about the elevator incident that derailed husband Ray's career. Ray Rice joined the conversation this morning on Today, along with Janay's parents. Highlights:

  • On not apologizing to Janay at the initial press conference, though she apologized: Although Ray says the two of them were "nervous," that they "were still under legal situations," and that they were told what to say, he admits "I made a horrendous mistake not apologizing to my wife," adding, "My wife is an angel. She can do no wrong."
  • On whether there was other abuse in their relationship: Ray explains "no relationship is perfect" and that they've said hurtful things to each other, but "it never got to an altercation where [it] went that far. That was just very uncharacteristic of myself."

  • On domestic violence: "Domestic violence is a real issue in society. We could take our one bad night, it just happened to be on video, but we are truly sorry to the people that's really going through it."
  • On Janay being in denial or hanging onto him for money and fame: "She's very independent. My wife can survive in this world without me. She could've done it on her own. The one thing I want people to understand is that she sacrificed her well-being for me. And now the role's a little bit reversed."
  • On an NFL team possibly signing him: Ray hopes that teams "look deeper into who I am and realize that me and my wife had one bad night, and I took full responsibility for it. … The only thing I can hope for and wish for is a second chance."
  • And if he's not re-signed? Janay says maybe she'll step up and provide for her family. "I know he wants to play football, but I know regardless he'll always support me in anything that I want to do," Janay says.
(More Ray Rice stories.)

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