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TSN Legal Analyst

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Running back Ray Rice has won his appeal. The celebration will be short lived, I suspect, as, materially, very little changes for Rice. He doesn’t have a team and is unlikely to find one.

On behalf of Rice, the NFLPA argued before arbitrator Barbara Jones that Rice was punished twice for the same offence, namely, beating his wife Janay Palmer-Rice. Since the league can’t punish a player twice for the same offence, the NFLPA argued that Rice’s indefinite suspension should be overturned.

On the other hand, the NFL argued that Rice’s account of what happened was ambiguous and that it never saw the elevator video before suspending Rice for two games. However, when it saw the video, that constituted something new, thereby justifying new discipline.

Jones sided with the NFLPA, believing that Rice was candid and transparent with the league over what transpired in the elevator. On that basis, Jones agreed Rice should be reinstated. And that will happen, since the NFL has elected not to challenge Jones’s decision.

Here’s the conclusion rendered by Jones in her decision:

“Because Rice did not mislead the Commissioner and because there were no new facts on which the Commissioner could base his increased suspension, I find that the imposition of the indefinite suspension was arbitrary. I therefore vacate the second penalty imposed on Rice.”

Now what?

For Rice, not much. While he has won his appeal, he is toxic and it is difficult to imagine a team signing the running back. If a team elected to add Rice, it would risk significant pushback from fans, sponsors and media partners. Make no mistake about – Rice will not be forgiven. His actions were appalling and deeply troubling. If any team signs Rice, the report will include the video. It will be played on an endless loop. No team can withstand that type of scrutiny. Bottom line is, signing Rice would be a terrible business decision for any team and could possibly cause the team irreparable harm.

It doesn’t help Rice that running backs have become interchangeable in a pass-heavy league. As far as running backs go, it’s become plug-and-play. Just last week, Rice’s replacement Justin Forsett shredded the Saints defence for 182 yards on the ground.

Rice does have a second grievance pending against the Ravens. In that case, Rice is not asking to be put back on the team. Remember, the Ravens cut him. Rice just wants to be paid the $3.52 million he feels he’s owned.

Despite his reinstatement, it seems like Rice’s days in the NFL are done.