If you keep up with the NFL, or have watched any news source, you’ve probably heard of 28-year-old, running back Ray Rice. He was a part of the Baltimore Ravens until a video was released of him knocking out his fiancé (now wife) in an elevator in the early months of 2014. By September of 2014, the Ravens terminated his contract to play, and then the NFL attempted to suspend him from ever playing in the league. This decision was eventually overturned. Now, Rice has entered 2015 as an unsigned free agent, trying to get a team to take the chance and contract him. I recently watched an interview of him stating that he is a “rehabilitated” man; he claims that he understands that there is no excuse for domestic violence and that his video sheds light on the subject.

One wonders: Who would he be if that video hadn’t surfaced? I do not think it is right for him to come back so soon. I feel as if the NFL and teams considering him will be sending the wrong message if they are to let him back now. Eventually, it would be appropriate for him to attempt to rejoin after some time has passed, and he has had time to grow and show the public that he is a new man. Unfortunately for Rice, time is limited. If no one signs him for this season, it is not likely he will play in the league again because of the amount of time he will have had off.

For now, the elevator scene still flashes in my mind, and all I can think about is that people will be wearing this man’s name on their backs during football season, looking up to him, and supporting him. People will hear about his actions, and see that essentially a year later he is welcomed back to the NFL and praised for his skill, forgetting about his violent past and the victim(s) he has affected. I obviously know that the NFL isn’t all about the player’s character. People are there to play and to win, but I think if we took character into consideration a little more (when major issues like this happen), we could change the public’s view on these topics by taking a stand. Not only would we be bettering the football community, but we would also be bettering America.