Ray Rice

Ravens running back Ray Rice knocked his fiancee unconscious in an altercation at an Atlantic City casino over the weekend, according to a complaint filed by police, who said Wednesday that they have referred the case to county prosecutors for review. The revelation came as a video clip showing the aftermath of the incident was posted online. The 50-second video, obtained by the website TMZ , shows Rice lifting fiancee Janay Palmer by her arms out of an elevator in the Revel Casino and laying her on the ground.

I find it difficult to understand how those who laud Ray Rice's character can defend what happened in Atlantic City ( "Ravens' Rice knocked fiancee unconscious, police say," Feb. 20). Mr. Rice's actions define his character. Even if his fiancée was having a medical problem, you don't leave her lying in a hallway without rendering assistance or at least showing some concern. This lady was not a side of beef but the mother of Mr. Rice's child. I'd be very curious to see what Ravens coach John Harbaugh's logic would be if it were his daughter being pulled unconscious from an elevator by her fiancé as if this were a common occurrence.

Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith spent several hours today at Dickey Hill Elementary/Middle School where he dedicated a literary oasis for its students. Smith, whose foundation created the room in partnership with Scholastic Book Fairs, spoke about the importance of education, celebrated honor roll members and then read to a select group of first to third graders after helping to cut the ceremonial ribbon for “Torrey's Reading Oasis.” The event was a nice deviation for the Ravens after the negative attention on the team following the recent arrests of running back Ray Rice and wide receiver Deonte Thompson.

Standing inside a hallway at Lucas Oil Stadium last week, coach John Harbaugh delivered a blunt assessment of one of the Ravens' thorniest issues. Upgrading the running game ranks atop the Ravens' agenda following a frustrating season in which they were consistently stonewalled upfront and finished 30th in the NFL in rushing offense. Running backs Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce were both affected by injuries and a lack of consistent blocking all season. And Rice's offseason has been marred after being charged with simple assault-domestic violence this month following an incident at an Atlantic City casino.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Ravens running back Ray Rice and his fiancee were arrested over the weekend after a fight at a casino in Atlantic City, according a statement from the Atlantic City Police Department. Casino security called officers to the Revel Casino at about 2:50 a.m. Saturday after a domestic dispute between Rice and Janay Palmer that was recorded by video surveillance, according to a statement from police. Footage appeared to show both parties involved in a physical altercation.

I find it difficult to understand how those who laud Ray Rice's character can defend what happened in Atlantic City ( "Ravens' Rice knocked fiancee unconscious, police say," Feb. 20). Mr. Rice's actions define his character. Even if his fiancée was having a medical problem, you don't leave her lying in a hallway without rendering assistance or at least showing some concern. This lady was not a side of beef but the mother of Mr. Rice's child. I'd be very curious to see what Ravens coach John Harbaugh's logic would be if it were his daughter being pulled unconscious from an elevator by her fiancé as if this were a common occurrence.

Ray Rice is showing off his chess skills in a new online ad campaign. The increasingly marketable Ravens running back has been unveiled this week as not only the newest pitchman for Xenith football helmets, but the face of the company's player safety campaign. As part of the arrangement, Rice stars in the Massachusetts-based company's online ad to introduce the "enlightened warrior. " The minute-long online commercial for the safety campaign has a chess theme. It opens with Rice explaining how he's been playing the board game since he was 9 years old. He says: "Chess helps me stay focused.

While Ray Rice continued to bask in the glow of his 29-yard, catch-and-run on fourth-and-29 against the San Diego Chargers, quarterback Joe Flacco admitted that he didn't do any reflecting on the play and he didn't plan to. “We got away with one and I'll be glad. I could have looked like a big-time idiot if we don't get that play,” Flacco said. “I kind of went out on a limb there to check the ball down on fourth-and-29. We don't get that, everybody is crushing me: 'What the hell is he doing checking the ball down on fourth-and-29?

The status of the contract negotiations between the Ravens and Ray Rice will loom over the offseason and that will remain true whether the Pro Bowl running back shows up at organized team activities later this month or opts to stay home until a deal is done. Rice told reporters Tuesdayin New York at Nike's official uniform unveiling, he still hasn't decided what he is going to do as he waits to see if negotiations with the Ravens result in a long-term contract extension or him playing the 2012 season under the franchise tag. “Me and my agent (Todd France)

INDIANAPOLIS - Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome acknowledged Saturday that video showing Ray Rice dragging his unconscious fiancee from an elevator at an Atlantic City, N.J., casino is a troubling image for the star running back. However, Newsome is withholding judgment on Rice as the legal process unfolds and he's encouraged by the decision of the three-time Pro Bowl running back and his fiancee, Janay Palmer, to get counseling for their relationship. “I did [watch the video]

Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith spent several hours today at Dickey Hill Elementary/Middle School where he dedicated a literary oasis for its students. Smith, whose foundation created the room in partnership with Scholastic Book Fairs, spoke about the importance of education, celebrated honor roll members and then read to a select group of first to third graders after helping to cut the ceremonial ribbon for “Torrey's Reading Oasis.” The event was a nice deviation for the Ravens after the negative attention on the team following the recent arrests of running back Ray Rice and wide receiver Deonte Thompson.

The Ravens and Dennis Pitta are still far from reaching a new contract, but hopefully they aren't haggling over whether Pitta should get paid as a wide receiver or a tight end. It's the trend these days, because tight ends get moved around the field, especially in the slot, so they want to get paid receiver money. If that's the case with Pitta, then the Ravens should remind him he got drafted as a tight end, gets introduced as a tight end, is as big and slow as a tight end and plays tight end. End of conversation.

Governor Martin O'Malley has been a loyal and vocal Ravens' fan. He also has appeared at anti-bullying events alongside Ravens running back Ray Rice. But O'Malley said in a brief interview with TMZ that his “disappointment” with Rice's arrest goes beyond any of that. “I don't know that it has anything to do with being a fan or not being a fan,” O'Malley said when TMZ caught up to him in Washington over the weekend. “I think you always feel a tremendous amount of disappointment whenever someone finds himself in a situation involving this sort of domestic violence … and the public attention to it only makes that pain magnified.” Rice and his fiancée, Janay Palmer, were arrested and charged with simple assault-domestic violence after they were involved in a physical altercation at Revel Casino in Atlantic City on Feb. 15. A couple of days after the arrest, TMZ obtained video showing Rice dragging an unconscious Palmer from an elevator at the casino.

Coming less than a week after running back Ray Rice was arrested following an alleged physical altercation with his fiancée, the timing of wide receiver Deonte Thompson's arrest Friday on charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia was extremely poor. Owner Steve Bisciotti and the organization's top decisions makers have worked very hard to change the image of the franchise. Two arrests in a week's span doesn't diminish that effort, though it's certainly not a good look and there will be a lot of pressure on members of the organization to behave the rest of the offseason.

Ravens reserve wide receiver Deonte Thompson was arrested and charged with suspicion of possessing marijuana and drug paraphernalia Friday night, according to the Gainesville, Fla., police department. Police said an officer " noticed a strong odor of burned cannabis" coming from a Chevrolet SUV, which had been pulled over about 11:45 p.m. Friday night for driving without its headlights on. A search of the vehicle found bags totaling 29 grams of marijuana inside a duffel bag, but Thompson said only the bag was his. The driver, Alvon Summerall, and another passenger, Erskine J. McKinley , said the drugs were their own. Thompson played at Florida and was signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2012.

INDIANAPOLIS - Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome acknowledged Saturday that video showing Ray Rice dragging his unconscious fiancee from an elevator at an Atlantic City, N.J., casino is a troubling image for the star running back. However, Newsome is withholding judgment on Rice as the legal process unfolds and he's encouraged by the decision of the three-time Pro Bowl running back and his fiancee, Janay Palmer, to get counseling for their relationship. “I did [watch the video]

On occasion, Ray Rice likes to exchange sweaty jerseys with opposing players that he admires, and he already knows which Cleveland Browns player will be in his crosshairs after the final whistle blows Sunday afternoon. Rice plans to seek out rookie running back Trent Richardson, who looked up to Rice and other backs while weaving his way to the NFL. But the respect is mutual, as Rice has been a “huge fan” of Richardson, the third pick in April's NFL draft, since watching Richardson run over and around defenders while he was at Alabama.

Ravens running back Ray Rice talks about this Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Lila Shapiro-Cyr had never felt even a tinge of misgiving about the Ray Rice poster behind the fish tank in her boys' room, about the No. 27 Ravens jersey her 9-year-old loved to wear during football season. And yet earlier this week, the Baltimore attorney and mother of two found herself sharing an uncomfortable conversation with her sons about domestic violence and the complexities of idolizing public figures. Rice, the beaming presence on the wall of their Mt. Washington home, was suddenly a man accused of knocking his fiancée unconscious at a New Jersey casino.

Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames. Five years ago, I knew exactly how I felt about the tabloid website TMZ. It sometimes paid for news, and that put it outside the realm of trustworthy journalism. End of story. But last week, with TMZ posting video of Ravens running back Ray Rice dragging his apparently unconscious fiancee off an elevator at the Revel Casino in Atlantic City, I realized my attitude has been changing. Or maybe, as President Barack Obama says of his view on same-sex marriage, I should say it's evolved.