This could very well have some wide-ranging ramifications around the National Football League. According to a report from ESPN’s Outside the Lines, Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome testified in Ray Rice’s appeal hearing that the former Ravens running back told Roger Goodell that he did in fact hit his then fiancee Janay Palmer.
SOURCES: Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome testifies Rice told Goodell he (Rice) hit fiancee in elevator. Contradicts Goodell’s assertion of ambiguity
— Outside the Lines (@OTLonESPN) November 6, 2014
You read that right. Testifying in Rice’s appeal of an indefinite suspension levied against him by Goodell, the Ravens general manager may have very well sparked what could be a career-ender for Goodell.
Here is a blurb from the Outside the Lines report. You can check the rest out here.
Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome testified under oath Thursday in the Ray Rice appeal hearing that he heard the former Baltimore running back tell NFL commissioner Roger Goodell during his June 16 disciplinary hearing that he had hit his then-fiancée in a casino hotel elevator, two sources told “Outside the Lines.”
The commissioner has continually indicated that Rice was ambiguous during his meeting with the league prior to the NFL handing down an original two-game suspension. This is also the league’s reason for suspending Rice indefinitely, which has led to the aforementioned appeal that wrapped up on Thursday.
At the very least, this coud be a major sticking point for the league moving forward. Rice will likely win his appeal and be reinstated in the coming days. At which point, we are likely going to hear more damaging information come out of the hearing itself.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult for the public to have any faith in Goodell to be truthful when it comes to what is going on around the league. And if true, this damaging report could potentially lead to a larger scandal surrounding the commissioner.
Photo: USA Today