Report: Ray Rice Settles Grievance Against Ravens
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Ray Rice's legal battle with the Ravens has reportedly come to an end.
Derek Valcourt explains the two sides apparently reached a settlement over back pay Rice claims he was owed.
Rice and the Ravens were set to have a confidential hearing on the matter Thursday. That meeting didn't happen after both sides struck a deal.
Ray Rice was seeking $3.5 million in back pay from the Ravens, according to our media partner, The Baltimore Sun.
His grievance against the team was expected to play out in a two-day closed door hearing with an NFL arbitrator.
Rice charged he was owed the money after he was unfairly terminated by the team back in September--days after the world saw the now infamous video of him striking his then-fiancee, Janay Palmer, in an Atlantic City casino elevator.
Rice was originally slapped with a two-game suspension. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell later suspended Rice from the league indefinitely.
After a challenge by Rice's attorneys, a federal judge reinstated the running back, making him a free agent.
Now he and the Ravens have reportedly reached a confidential financial settlement.
Ravens, Ray Rice have settled their grievance, per a source. No financial compensation disclosed at this time.
— Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) January 15, 2015
Per league source, the Ray Rice grievance has been settled.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) January 15, 2015
"This is a perfect case to settle. I wouldn't be surprised if they split the baby right down the middle," said Steven Silverman, attorney.
Silverman has represented hundreds of NFL athletes and says a settlement was in both parties' interest.
"It's been a black eye for the Ravens, it's been a black eye for the NFL and it's been a tumultuous ordeal for the Rice family," he said.
The settlement comes as Rice helped his now-wife Janay celebrate her 27th birthday with a Chanel bag birthday cake to mark the occasion.
On Instagram, Janay wrote: "OK first off I literally have the best husband in the world, he went above and beyond to make by birthday special. He ended the day with a surprise birthday party with my family and friends."
Ray Rice has his own birthday next week. He'll turn 28.
With the Ravens dispute over, the question now becomes will another NFL team recruit Rice as a free agent?
Rice was the Ravens' second all-time leading rusher.