The NFL Players Association is arguing he was punished twice for the same incident.
A decision on whether Ray Rice will be reinstated as an NFL player is expected to come "before Thanksgiving."
Sean Gardner / Reuters
When TMZ released the now-infamous surveillance tape of Ray Rice knocking his then-fianceé, now-wife, Janay Rice, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell claimed it showed an incident that appeared different, and more severe, than the one described to him by the running back in a meeting earlier this year. After the video became public, Goodell suspended Rice indefinitely and he was cut by the Ravens.
Rice maintains he described the incident accurately in his first meeting with Goodell. Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome reportedly corroborated Rice's story. Still, after that meeting, he was only suspended for two games. It was a controversial move that called into question the league's inconsistent manner of doling out suspensions, and led to an overhaul of the league's Personal Conduct Policy.
The NFLPA argued to a retired judge that Rice was punished twice for the same incident. Football pundits have suggested Goodell handed Rice the indefinite suspension as a way to repair his and the league's own image in the wake of the video's release. The NFLPA's argument that Goodell was fully informed on the situation prior to its release would be consistent with that argument.
David Goldman / AP Photo
A reinstatement would allow a team to sign him, however, that's highly unlikely to happen this season, partially because the league has been hit by a series of player conduct scandals and the attention brought on Rice's new team would be a distraction. There are a few teams in the league, however, who could probably use some depth on their running back roster. But at nearly 28 years old, Rice's skill as a player dropped off significantly in 2013.
The NFLPA has not announced how they will proceed if the arbitrator does not rule for reinstatement.
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