Ray Rice Serving As Assistant Coach In NFLPA Collegiate Bowl
CARSON, Calif. (CBSNewYork) -- Ray Rice, shunned by the NFL since he became embroiled in a domestic abuse controversy in 2014, is serving as an assistant coach at Saturday's NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.
Rice is the co-running backs coach on Mike Martz's National Team staff. The game kicks off at 6 p.m. Eastern time in Carson, California.
A three-time Pro Bowler with the Baltimore Ravens, Rice, who turns 29 Friday, has been out of football since a video surfaced showing him striking his then-fiancée Janay Palmer, now his wife, inside an Atlantic City hotel elevator.
The New Rochelle native and former Rutgers star was then released by the Ravens and suspended indefinitely by the NFL.
The Collegiate Bowl, hosted by the NFL Players Association, allows draft-eligible players to showcase their talents for pro teams. During the week leading up to the game, current and former players try to educate the prospects based on their own experiences.
Rice told TMZ Sports he was going to "help out some of the young college athletes, mentor them, tutor them, and get me a couple of workouts in with the guys and have some fun."
He also said he's still hopeful he'll be given another shot to play in the NFL.
"Honestly, I'm never going to give up," Rice said. "You don't want to give up something you started. You want to finish the right way."
Other assistant coaches for this year's Collegiate Bowl include former Bills wide receiver Andre Reed, ex-Rams offensive tackle Jackie Slater and former Redskins cornerback Darrell Green.