Report: Ray Rice Will Appeal His Suspension

On Friday, the NFL finally informed Ray Rice why it had increased his suspension from two games to "indefinite." That gave him three business days to appeal. According to Pro Football Talk, Rice needs just the one: he will reportedly appeal his suspension tomorrow.

The league told Rice and the union that the suspension was not for domestic violence, but for lying about what took place in that elevator during his meeting with league and Ravens executives. Rice's appeal, presumably, will center upon what he said during that meeting—and he will undoubtedly cite Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome's comments that Rice accurately explained to him what ended up being on the tape.

Under normal circumstances, the appeal would be heard by...Roger Goodell. PFT predicts that Rice will seek to bring in an outside adjudicator, and he'll probably get it, since Goodell is going to have to serve as a witness.

Because the indefinite suspension was imposed under the personal-conduct policy, Commissioner Roger Goodell will have the ultimate authority over the appeal. Don't be surprised if Rice and the union ask that Goodell designate a hearing officer who has no current connection to the league office, which Goodell ultimately did in the appeal of the players suspended in connection with the Saints bounty case.

Good luck having a rooting interest in this case.

[ Pro Football Talk]