Janay Rice: Ravens Fed Me Apology Script

In the wake of a judge’s ruling that overturned Ray Rice’s indefinite ban from the NFL, he and his now-wife Janay granted an interview to Matt Lauer and The Today Show. The interview produced some troubling moments, but few more so than the discussion of the initial press conference the Rices gave after the incident.

Janay admits that Baltimore Ravens officials urged her to apologize along with her husband. The Ravens even gave the pair a script to work off of. She goes on to say that she was willing to apologize to help with their appearance in the media and with Ray’s image and career.

As the clip continues, Janay says she has found a silver lining in all this: that the incident has shined a spotlight on domestic abuse in our society. She insists, however, that she considers herself separate from victims of chronic abuse. It’s an uneasy distinction, and one that will fuel arguments about the psychology of abuse victims.