Ray Rice Video: NFL Chief Denies Seeing Despite New Detail Emerging

Accounts continue to conflict regarding the video of Ray Rice punching his then-fiance Janay Palmer (now Rice). There has been much debate over when Roger Goodell first saw the video, and NFL security chief Jeffrey Miller has spoken out, denying he ever saw the video.

An Associated Press source within the police department said he sent the Ray Rice video to the NFL. Speaking anonymously, the source admitted he has no evidence that the DVD was ever watched or that Miller ever received it. He did receive a brief voicemail from NFL offices, in which a woman says, “You’re right. It’s terrible.” He also said that the Rice tape was addressed specifically to Miller, but asked for that detail not to be shared. On Thursday, he removed that restriction.

However, according to the Guardian, Jeffrey Miller again refuted the claims Thursday night, maintaining that he never saw the video until TMZ obtained it and released it publicly. Though the video was purportedly sent to NFL offices, and received, in April, Miller says he didn’t see it until September, and there is no record of what may have happened to the copy sent to the NFL.

“I unequivocally deny that I received at any time a copy of the video, and I had not watched it until it was made public on September 8.”

The anonymous source who spoke with the AP says that he didn’t intend to destroy anyone’s career, and it’s for that reason that he wanted it to be known he did not send the Ray Rice video to Goodell, but to Miller.

The publicity of the Ray Rice case has resulted in a large blowback, with consumers saying that Roger Goodell is mishandling violent incidents, and calling for his resignation. On Twitter, #GoodellMustGo recently trended, and banners saying the same were flown over several stadiums during football games.

There was also a social media campaign with edited billboards, asking CoverGirl to pull their support from the NFL until Goodell resigned. Beginning with Ray Rice’s team, the Ravens, activists edited billboards that linked the makeup brand and the NFL to show women as victims of domestic abuse.

The brainchild of activist and journalist Adele Stan, the campaign grew as photoshop artists joined. See the image of the edited Ravens (Ray Rice’s former team) billboard below.

Whether or not the Ray Rice video ever reached its intended recipient, the entire case has clearly had an effect on the NFL and how it handles such cases. The cases of Adrian Peterson (alleged child abuse) and Greg Hardy (also alleged domestic abuse) are being handled more delicately by the NFL. While neither has received a ban or dismissal from the league (and Ray Rice may appeal his dismissal), it’s clear the NFL is being very careful about how they publicly handle the matters.

Ray Rice’s case has resulted in a great deal of negative publicity for the NFL, and it may be this negative publicity that ends up causing change. After Ray Rice, the NFL may decide that it’s in their best interest after all to add violent behavior off the field to the list of things they won’t tolerate from players.

[Image Credit: Twitter, Keith Allison via photopin cc]