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Was The NFL Too Lenient On Ray Rice?

Running back Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens addresses a news conference with his wife Janay at the Ravens training center on May 23, 2014 in Owings Mills, Maryland. Rice spoke publicly for the first time since facing felony assault charges stemming from a February incident involving Janay at an Atlantic City casino. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Running back Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens addresses a news conference with his wife Janay at the Ravens training center on May 23, 2014 in Owings Mills, Maryland. Rice spoke publicly for the first time since facing felony assault charges stemming from a February incident involving Janay at an Atlantic City casino. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

The NFL is dealing with a pre-season controversy involving one of its star players. Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice has been suspended for the first two games of the regular season after he was arrested in February for assaulting his then-fiancé Janay Palmer (they are now married).

There’s a cell phone video of Rice dragging Palmer off an elevator at an Atlantic City casino after, police say, he had knocked her out. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell imposed the two-game suspension, which critics say is too lenient.

Sports Illustrated’s Don Banks tweeted “NFL not usually tone deaf, but 2 game suspension for Ray Rice defies logic and explanation. Sends wrong message in all capitals.”

Here & Now sports analyst Mike Pesca, host of Slate’s podcast The Gist, discusses the controversy with Here & Now’s Robin Young.

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