Chicago Bears chairman supports Roger Goodell in statement
Chicago Bears chairman George H. McCaskey said the organization supports commissioner Roger Goodell and his handling of the Ray Rice domestic violence case.
Goodell has been criticized following the release of surveillance footage showing Rice punching his then-fiancée, Janay Palmer. After initially giving Rice a two-game suspension, the NFL suspended Rice indefinitely, and he was released by the Baltimore Ravens.
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McCaskey's full statement:
"We welcome the independent investigation to understand the handling of evidence in the Ray Rice domestic violence case. It is important to know the facts. NFL fans deserve them.
"Our family has complete faith in the Commissioner. He is a man of integrity and has acknowledged the initial response to Mr. Rice's situation was inadequate. We agreed with his assessment and were encouraged he took measures to take a much stronger stance on domestic violence. We believe in the importance of the NFL's position as a leader in the community and expect the League, and its teams, to meet the high standards that come with this responsibility."
On Wednesday, the Associated Pressreported the NFL received a copy of the video in April after the NFL claimed it had not seen it before this week.
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- Paul Palladino
