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EA Sports Removing Ray Rice From Madden NFL 15 Via Week One Update
The fallout from the leaked video of Ray Rice assaulting his wife has reached the gaming realm. Today EA Sports announced its plans to remove the former Baltimore Ravens running back from the game entirely via a week one update.
"With Ray Rice’s indefinite suspension from the NFL, he will be removed from Madden NFL 15," an EA spokesperson told us today. "This roster change will take place by this Friday."
Rice originally faced a two-game suspension for the February 15 incident with his wife in an Atlantic City elevator. But after TMZ released the full video yesterday, which shows him knocking out his then-fiancée with a brutal left hook, the Baltimore Ravens cut him from the team. Both the NFL and the Ravens claimed they had not seen the video at the time the original suspension was levied. Rice was charged with felony aggravated assault, and the courts assigned him to a pretrial intervention program that allowed him to avoid jail time. The couple, which has vowed to work through this ordeal, is now married.
Our Take
EA has rightfully acted swiftly to remove Rice from the game. The Michael Vick ordeal several years ago proved the NFL is all about second chances. As with Vick, we wouldn't be surprised to see Rice rejoin the league – and Madden by extension – down the line if at team is interested in the aging running back's services.
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