It seems the situation with Ray Rice just keeps getting stickier.
A recent report by the Associated Press says the elevator footage of Ray Rice punching his then-fiancée, Janay Rice, was sent to the NFL in April, starkly contrasting Commissioner Roger Goodell’s claims that the NFL had not seen the video until TMZ released it earlier this week.
If what’s alleged is true—law enforcement also submitted a 12-second audio clip of an NFL number confirming receipt of the video—Goodell and the NFL would be in hot water. Many, like the National Organization for Women, are already calling for Goodell’s resignation. Some are saying he should be downright fired.
It’d be an ignominious exit for the Westchester native. Despite having done plenty for the league during his tenure, including leading a collective bargaining agreement that’s helped the league’s finances skyrocket, Goodell’s also been critized for how he treated the NFL’s infamous concussion situation, a historic lawsuit that ended with a $765 million settlement.
In response to the video, the NFL’s ordered a probe to investigate the league’s handling of the situation—it’s to be led by former FBI director Robert S. Mueller III. According to ESPN, Goodell says Mueller III will have access to all NFL records.
Upon the video’s posting, Rice was released by his career-long team, the Baltimore Ravens, and suspended indefinitely by the NFL. He was initially suspended for two games in July.
