The hits keep coming for former back Ray Rice. Nike announced that it has severed its endorsement deal with Rice and EA Sports has removed the suspended running back from its "Madden NFL 15," video game according to reports.
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Nike spokesman KeJuan Wilkins told ESPN.com that the former Baltimore Ravens star was no longer on the company's active roster. Rice had an active deal with the world's largest shoe and apparel maker and was most recently used in January to reveal Nike's special cold-weather gear it made for the Super Bowl to the press in New Jersey.
Rice isn't the first athlete to have his contract with Nike severed. Lance Armstrong and Justin Gatling lost their deals due to performance-enhancing drugs and Michael Vick was released due to his involvement in a dogfighting operation.
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Even though the game has already been released, Rice will be removed from Madden through an online roster update.
"With Ray Rice's indefinite suspension from the NFL, he will be removed from 'Madden NFL 15,'" EA Sports communications director Julie Foster said. "This roster change will take place by this Friday."
Rice lost another endorsement deal from Vertimax, a jump training program. His jerseys have been removed from NFLShop.com, the league's official online store, and they were taken down from the shelves at Dick's Sporting Goods and Modell's on Monday. The Ravens also announced on Tuesday a deal to allow fans to exchange Rice jerseys at some point.
Rice was released by the Ravens and suspended by the NFL after TMZ released a video of him punching his then-fiancée.
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