Rep. Jon Runyan (R-N.J.), a former National Football League player, says the Baltimore Ravens “did the right thing” by cancelling Ray Rice’s contract.
The team announced it was terminating the running back’s lucrative, five-year contract after new video surfaced Monday on TMZ.com of Rice punching his then-fiancee inside an Atlantic City, N.J., elevator back in February.
{mosads}The NFL also announced an indefinite suspension for Rice. The league had previously suspended the 27-year-old player for only two games before the video came to light.
“The Ravens did the right thing by terminating Rice’s contract after witnessing the full scope of his actions. While admittedly late to the game the NFL is right to suspend him indefinitely and strictly enforce their domestic violence policies,” Runyan told ITK in a statement on Monday. The retiring congressman, 40, played eight seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles.
“This shows NFL players, fans, and especially women that domestic violence is not what the NFL stands for,” Runyan said.