5 Punishments That Make Ray Rice's 2-Game Suspension Seem Shockingly Lenient
(CBS) News broke Thursday that Ravens running back Ray Rice will be fined $58,000 and receive a two-game unpaid suspension from the NFL for an offseason arrest for allegedly striking his then-fiancee and now-wife Janay unconscious in February.
Many have contended that's an incredibly lenient punishment for hitting a woman. They have plenty of evidence to point to as well, considering the punishment other lesser violations have drawn in the past.
Here's a look at five punishments/fines that make the decision handed down to Rice so perplexing.
Gordon is facing a 16-game suspension for smoking marijuana
Granted, Browns receiver Josh Gordon has violated the NFL's drug policy on multiple occasions, but he didn't hurt anyone. Also, first-time violators of the league's drug policy can also be subject to more than a two-game suspension. So there's that.
Lynch was fined $50K for not talking to media before winning appeal
NFL rules stipulate players must talk once during the week and be available for postgame interviews, so Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch was fined $50,000 last winter for refusing to talk to the media. He appealed the decision and won, but it was still indicative of how upset the league was for the act of harmless, silent insubordination.
Horn was fined $30K for TD celebration
Back in 2003, Saints receiver Joe Horn celebrated a touchdown by using a cell phone as a prop and pretending to make a call. That really drew the league's ire, as he was slammed with a $30,000 fine.
Pryor suspended 5 games for a violation committed ... in college
Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor was suspended five games in 2011 for, essentially, trading his autograph services and memorabilia for money and other goods/services while at Ohio State. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell went on his soapbox talking about the "integrity" of the rules and how Pryor manipulated the eligibility system by escaping punishment by leaving Ohio State. Umm, don't we live in a capitalistic society? And isn't this the same NFL that was and is failing to adequately support former players facing serious health problems later in life?
Marshall fined more than $25K for wearing green, orange shoes
Twice in 2013, Bears receiver Brandon Marshall skirted the NFL's uniform stipulations -- once by wearing green shoes, once by wearing orange shoes. He was fined a total of $25,500 for those choices. The kicker? Marshall was wearing the green shoes to to raise awareness for mental health.
