Why were Bryant McKinnie and Ray Rice with the Vikings on Monday?

The Minnesota Vikings welcomed former star offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie for an inspirational speech on Monday, and he was joined by his former Baltimore teammate, Ray Rice.

At first blush, McKinnie and Rice are known not only for their prowess on the football field, but for some of their actions off of it.

McKinnie was involved in the Vikings' 2005 "Love Boat" scandal. He was also arrested after an alleged brawl outside a Miami nightclub in 2008. Rice's career came to a crashing halt during the 2014 offseason after TMZ published video of him assaulting his fiancée in an elevator. The Ravens cut him, and he never played again.

Nowadays, McKinnie and Rice, who were members of Baltimore's 2012-13 Super Bowl team, are promoting mental health awareness.

"Quick trip to MN with Ray Rice to chat with the Vikings! We got into the real stuff," McKinnie announced on social media, noting that they discussed:

Life during & after football
Handling success & pressure
The true meaning of brotherhood
Overcoming tough times
Transitioning out of the league

"The biggest takeaway? Your mental health is non-negotiable, and asking for help is a superpower," McKinnie said. Shoutout to the Vikings organization for having us and for their continued commitment to their players' well-being. It was a powerful day"

McKinnie and Rice were close during their days with the Ravens. In fact, they were known as the Ravens' odd couple, with McKinnie, at 6-foot-8, a foot taller than Rice. Rice's nickname for McKinnie was "Slim Slow," and McKinnie referred to Rice as "Shorty Smalls."

"Mac is one of the funniest people in the world," Rice said of McKinnie in 2013. "He's just one of those guys that when you get close to him, you're in. You know what you're getting. We understand each other. He's a great football player, but an even better person off the field. This is my man. I'm telling you, there's not a day that I come in and don't first look for Mac."

"He's a great football player, but an even better person off the field. This is my man. I'm telling you, there's not a day that I come in and don't first look for Mac."

We've reached out to the Vikings for more information about the presentation. We'll update the story if we hear back.

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