Ray Rice might want to keep the faith a little longer.
Rice is still eyeing an NFL comeback despite not appearing in a game since the 2013 season, he said Sunday, and several league sources — who aren’t connected to Rice — told TMZ Sports the running back is receiving “real interest” from multiple teams.
Rice, of course, was cut by the Baltimore Ravens in September 2014 after TMZ released a video of him knocking out his then-fiancée (now wife), Janay Palmer, in an Atlantic City, N.J., casino elevator. He was reinstated by the NFL in November 2014 after successfully appealing an indefinite suspension, but the three-time Pro Bowl running back hasn’t been able to find work.
The unsuccessful job hunt hasn’t stopped Rice, who turns 29 this week, from staying in shape. His track record — four straight seasons of at least 1,100 rushing yards from 2009 through 2012 — also suggests he might be able to help an NFL team in need of running back depth. The question is whether any team is willing to deal with the media circus and inevitable scrutiny that would come with signing Rice.
Deion Sanders recently said the New England Patriots should have considered signing Rice, but Bill Belichick’s bunch shied away, opting instead for 32-year-old running back Steven Jackson.
Rice totaled more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage during the 2009 and 2011 seasons, establishing himself as one of the most dynamic running backs in the NFL.
Thumbnail photo via Andrew Weber/USA TODAY Sports Images
