Rev. Jesse Jackson on Ray Rice: ‘Why give him a lifetime sentence?’
But almost a year since the infamous video of Rice striking his wife was released, the former Baltimore Ravens running back remains out of football. Now Rev. Jesse Jackson has taken up Rice’s cause.
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Jackson told WBAL 1090 AM that Rice deserves a chance “to redeem himself.”
“Not only did he apologize with contrition, his wife forgave him, God has forgiven him,” Jackson told WBAL. “He wants to go on with his life. Why give him a lifetime sentence for that?”
The NFL has been far less forgiving to Rice, although his sub-par 3.1-yard average his last season of 2013 likely is a reason he remains unsigned. Many other players with similar incidents in their past have gotten second chances.
In July, the co-founders of “A Call To Men,” an organization that wants to end violence against women, told ESPN they’ve been working with Rice and that he should get another chance, although the organization apologized for saying that days later after criticism. ESPN also reported that a group of Rice’s supporters including his former college coach and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano have called teams to try to get a second chance for Rice.
There will be injuries to running backs over the rest of camp and through the preseason, or teams will just be dissatisfied with the options on hand. Rice will be waiting by the phone, hoping to get a call.
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab
