Ravens and Ex-Running Back Ray Rice have reached a Settlement
The Baltimore Ravens and former running back Ray Rice have reached a settlement before their grievance hearing, sources reported. The Ravens terminated Rice's $35 million contract five months ago after a graphic video of Rice punching his then fiancé and now wife, Janay Palmer, surfaced.
According to the sources, Rice had a grievance hearing scheduled for Thursday and Friday. The hearing, which was for wrongful termination, was supposed to be held in front of NFL system arbitrator Shyam Das. During the hearing, Das would determine whether or not Rice's termination violated Article 46, Section 4 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which states, "The Commissioner and a Club will not both discipline a player for the same act or conduct. The Commissioner's disciplinary action will preclude or supersede disciplinary action by any Club for the same act or conduct," according to NBC Sports' Pro Football Talk.
According to PFT, teams can cut players "'[i]f at any time, in the sole judgment of Club, Player's skill or performance has been unsatisfactory as compared with that of other players competing for positions on Club's roster.' Paragraph 11 also allows termination 'if, in Club's opinion, Player is anticipated to make less of a contribution to Club's ability to compete on the playing field than another player or players whom Club intends to sign or attempts to sign, or another player or players who is or are already on Club's roster, and for whom Club needs room.'"
However, this part of the Standard Player Contract would be superseded by Article 46, Section 4, which allows only one punishment. Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Rice for two games in July.
Rice was reportedly seeking $3.529 million in back pay, which was the amount he was owed prior to getting cut from the team on Sept. 8.
The Ravens and Rice were able to agree on a settlement before the hearing could take place. A settlement most likely involved money. However, the details regarding the settlement would most likely never be disclosed to the public.
