Ravens RB Ray Rice pleads not guilty to aggravated assault charge

Ray Rice helped the Ravens win a Super Bowl in 2013. (John Grieshop/Getty Images)

Ravens running back Ray Rice pleaded not guilty to an aggravated assault charge Thursday morning in Mays Landing, N.J., according to a report from Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Rice also applied for a pretrial intervention program.

The 27-year-old Rice was arrested on charges of simple assault-domestic violence on Feb. 15 after a physical altercation with his then-fiancée, Janay Palmer, in Atlantic City, N.J. The couple wed a day after he was indicted by a grand jury in late March, with Palmer seated behind Rice in the courtroom.

SANCHEZ: Texans deciding between Jadeveon Clowney, Johnny Manziel at No. 1, per report

If the application for the pretrial intervention program is approved, Baltimore's three-time Pro Bowler would receive probation and have to undergo anger management counseling but would not have to go to jail. If his application is denied, he will next appear in court on May 29 to face the third-degree assault charge.

Update: After the hearing Rice's lawyer, Michael Diamondstein, said Rice is "ashamed" and "sorry" but would not specify exactly what Rice did.

"He's ashamed of his conduct and he's sorry for what he did. There was a disagreement between him and his wife," Diamondstein said. "He made a mistake. He loves Janay and wants to move forward. This was a momentary lapse of reason."