The topic of domestic violence is all too familiar for fans of the Baltimore Ravens. As recent developments from the Zay Flowers incident are brought to light, many are reminded of the Ray Rice incident that shook the NFL and Baltimore fans.
Coming off of a superbowl win versus the 49ers in 2013, the Ravens were feeling on top of the world. Yet shortly after the end of the season, the team’s beloved and incredibly skilled running back was arrested with his fiance for assault. The team continued to stand by him as he was indicted on third-degree aggravated assault. The charges did end up being dropped and Rice essentially got away with it. As for how the NFL dealt with him, they merely suspended him for two days.
It was only when shocking videos were released of the incident did anyone comprehend the true nature of the crime. Rice is videoed punching his fiance in the face after an argument, then dragging her out the elevator as she appears to be unconscious. This led to a massive reaction from NFL fans and employees. The Ravens released Rice and the NFL indefinitely suspended him, much to Rice’s protest. Despite this, Rice still manages to get rounds of applause when he attends games. This past December at a home game, the Ravens honored him as a ‘Legend of the Game’.
Not much information has been released on the Zay Flowers case. The main details are that allegedly a girlfriend of his was at his town home and called 911 distressed and crying before hanging up. Allegedly, a gun was drawn by Zay’s brother, and the woman was left with multiple bruises and had her belongings trashed. The investigation is still underway. All that’s been said by Ravens personnel is that they take matters like this seriously and will continue to assess the situation. It’s always disappointing when a promising young talent shows their character.
Unfortunately, violence and crimes against women seem to be a common thread throughout the NFL, and players are getting away with it. Ray Lewis, in 2000, was involved in a double homicide where they stabbed and beat two people to death, yet everyone turns a blind eye to it. DeShaun Watson was accused of sexual harassment by 26 women, yet is still playing and making millions. Players use their fame and money to get away with poor criminal behavior. The NFL needs to be stricter in their policies for handling players and their wrongdoings. It should be a place for younger children to look up to and have role models, especially since the league touches so many across a variety of backgrounds.
