Ray Rice is not letting the NFL wash its hands of him for the 2014 season.
Rice, whose domestic violence episode has ignited a public outcry against the NFL's inability to control its players transgressions, is asking the NFL Players Association to advance his appeal of his indefinite suspension in hopes of trying to repair his reputation and resume his playing career, USA TODAY Sports is reporting.
The NFL originally suspended Rice two games after he entered a pretrial diversion program after being charged with assaulting his then-fiancée at an Atlantic City casino on Valentine's Day.
The league changed its mind after a new video surfaced showing Rice punching his now-wife Janay inside the casino elevator. It suspended him indefinitely, the Baltimore Ravens released him.
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Even the NFLPA backtracked on its support for Rice initially. USA TODAY Sports reported that the players' union agreed to waive a collective bargaining rule that stipulates that a hearing date must be set within 10 days of the appeal, which in Rice's case was Sept. 26.
According to USA TODAY Sports, the NFL and the players union had hoped that former FBI director Robert S. Mueller investigation into the league's handling of the Rice case was complete. The evidence would be available to both the union and Rice's lawyer, Peter Ginsberg, to use any findings of wrongdoing to support his case.
That investigation won't be completed any time soon. New York Giants owner John Mara, whom NFL commissioner Roger Goodell appointed to oversee the investigation with Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II, said Mueller's probe could take "another several months."
That's why Rice has decided to try to get the ball rolling on his appeal. Waiting for results could force him to miss the entire 2014 season.
Waiting out a decision could mean that Rice likely would miss the season. Instead, Rice could have a hearing as soon as the end of the month.
Goodell has appointed former U.S. district judge Barbara S. Jones to hear Rice's appeal. Rice and his lawyers are expected to argue that he has been subjected to double jeopardy and that his due process rights were violated.
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