Ray Rice facts for kids
Rice with the Ravens in 2009
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| No. 27 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | January 22, 1987 New Rochelle, New York, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 206 lb (93 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | New Rochelle | ||||||||||||
| College: | Rutgers (2005–2007) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2008 / Round: 2 / Pick: 55 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Raymell Mourice Rice (born January 22, 1987) is a former American football running back. He played six seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Ravens. Ray Rice played college football for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. He was named an All-American and was picked by the Ravens in the 2008 NFL draft. During his career, Rice was chosen for three Pro Bowls. He also helped his team win Super Bowl XLVII. He holds several team records for the Ravens.
Later, Rice faced a serious issue off the field. This led to his release from the Ravens. The NFL also suspended him. Even though his suspension was later lifted, he did not play professional football again.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Ray Rice was born in New Rochelle, New York, on January 22, 1987. He grew up there and later became a talented football player.
College Football Career
Ray Rice went to Rutgers University–New Brunswick. He played football for the Scarlet Knights from 2005 to 2007.
Freshman and Sophomore Success
In 2005, his first year, Rutgers had a winning season. This was their first in 13 years. In 2006, the Scarlet Knights won 11 games. This tied a school record. They also reached their highest national ranking ever at #12.
As a freshman, Rice became the starting tailback. He ran for 1,120 yards and scored five touchdowns. In one game, he ran for 217 yards against the Connecticut Huskies.
In his second year (sophomore), Rice ran for 1,794 yards. He scored 20 touchdowns. This set a new record for Rutgers' single-season rushing yards. He was a finalist for the Maxwell Award. He also finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting. Rice was named Big East offensive player of the week three times in 2007. Each time, he ran for over 200 yards. He was named MVP of the Texas Bowl after Rutgers won their first bowl game.
Junior Year and Records
In 2007, Rice continued to break records. On October 6, he scored his 35th career rushing touchdown. This set a new program record. On November 9, he ran for 243 yards against the Army Black Knights. This was a new school record for a single game.
On January 5, 2008, at the International Bowl in Toronto, Rice ran for 280 yards. This was another new school record. He also scored four touchdowns. One of his runs was 90 yards, his longest ever. Rice won the MVP award for this game. After this season, he decided to enter the 2008 NFL Draft.
College Statistics
| Ray Rice | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | TD |
| 2005 | Rutgers | 12 | 195 | 1,120 | 5.7 | 5 | 8 | 65 | 0 |
| 2006 | Rutgers | 13 | 336 | 1,794 | 5.4 | 20 | 4 | 30 | 0 |
| 2007 | Rutgers | 13 | 380 | 2,012 | 5.3 | 24 | 25 | 239 | 1 |
| Totals | 38 | 910 | 4,926 | 5.4 | 49 | 37 | 334 | 1 | |
Professional Football Career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
199 lb (90 kg) |
30+1⁄4 in (0.77 m) |
9+1⁄4 in (0.23 m) |
4.47 s | 1.51 s | 2.52 s | 4.17 s | 6.65 s | 39+1⁄2 in (1.00 m) |
10 ft 1 in (3.07 m) |
23 reps | |
| All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day | ||||||||||||
Ray Rice was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He quickly became a key player for the team.
2008 Season: Rookie Year
Rice started his first NFL game in Week 1 of the 2008 season. He carried the ball 22 times for 64 yards. He also caught three passes for 19 yards. His best game was in Week 9. He ran for 154 yards against the Cleveland Browns. He finished his rookie season with 546 rushing yards.
2009 Season: Becoming a Starter
In 2009, Rice became the Ravens' main starting running back. In the first game, he rushed for 108 yards. In Week 3, he scored his first professional touchdown. On October 18, he had 77 rushing yards and 117 receiving yards. He scored two touchdowns in that game.
In Week 14, Rice had a career-best 166 rushing yards. He also had 216 total yards. In Week 16, he ran for 141 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This broke a long streak of the Steelers not allowing a 100-yard rusher. He finished the season with 1,339 rushing yards. He was selected for his first Pro Bowl.
In the playoffs, Rice scored an 83-yard touchdown run. This was the longest play for the Ravens that season. It was also the second longest run in NFL postseason history. He had 159 yards and two touchdowns in that playoff win.
2010 Season: All-Purpose Threat
On December 20, 2010, Rice had a career-best 233 yards from scrimmage. This included 153 rushing yards and 80 receiving yards. He also scored two touchdowns. This performance earned him his first AFC Offensive Player of the Week award.
In the playoffs, Rice became the first Ravens running back to have a receiving touchdown in a playoff game. He finished the 2010 season with 1,220 rushing yards and 556 receiving yards.
2011 Season: Top Performer
In the first game of 2011, Rice gained 107 rushing yards and a touchdown. He also had 42 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown. This was only the second time a running back gained over 100 rushing yards against the Steelers since 2009. Both times were by Rice.
In Week 13, Rice ran for 204 yards against the Cleveland Browns. This included a 68-yard touchdown. He ended the season with 1,364 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He was second in the league in total rushing yards. He was also first in total yards from scrimmage. Rice was selected for his second Pro Bowl. He was also voted to the NFL All-Pro Team.
2012 Season: Super Bowl Champion
On July 16, 2012, Rice signed a five-year, $35 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens.
On November 25, 2012, Rice made a famous play. The Ravens were losing with little time left. On a fourth down, quarterback Joe Flacco passed to Rice. Rice ran 29 yards to get a first down. This play helped the Ravens win the game in overtime. It was nicknamed "Hey Diddle-Diddle."
He finished the 2012 season with 1,143 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns. He also had 61 catches for 478 receiving yards. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the third time.
On February 3, 2013, the Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII. They defeated the San Francisco 49ers. This gave Rice his first and only Super Bowl ring. In the Super Bowl, Rice had 59 rushing yards and 19 receiving yards.
2013 Season: Final Year
In 2013, Rice had a slower start due to an injury. In Week 11, he had his best game of the season. He rushed for 131 yards against the Chicago Bears. He finished the 2013 season with 660 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
End of Professional Career
After facing a serious issue off the field, Ray Rice was released by the Ravens on September 8, 2014. The NFL also suspended him. He later appealed the suspension and won. This meant he could play in the NFL again. However, no teams signed him.
In 2015, Rice and the Ravens settled a disagreement about his pay. In 2016, he offered to donate his salary to charities if he played again. But he remained unsigned. In 2018, Ray Rice announced that his football career was over.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won the Super Bowl | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Y/G | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Y/G | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2008 | BAL | 13 | 4 | 107 | 454 | 4.2 | 34.9 | 60 | 0 | 33 | 273 | 8.3 | 21.0 | 40 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2009 | BAL | 16 | 15 | 254 | 1,339 | 5.3 | 83.7 | 59 | 7 | 78 | 702 | 9.0 | 43.9 | 63 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 2010 | BAL | 16 | 14 | 307 | 1,220 | 4.0 | 76.3 | 50 | 5 | 63 | 556 | 8.8 | 34.8 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | BAL | 16 | 16 | 291 | 1,364 | 4.7 | 85.3 | 70 | 12 | 76 | 704 | 9.3 | 44.0 | 52 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 2012 | BAL | 16 | 16 | 257 | 1,143 | 4.4 | 71.4 | 46 | 9 | 61 | 478 | 7.8 | 29.9 | 43 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2013 | BAL | 15 | 15 | 214 | 660 | 3.1 | 44.0 | 47 | 4 | 58 | 321 | 5.5 | 21.4 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Career | 92 | 80 | 1,430 | 6,180 | 4.3 | 67.2 | 70 | 37 | 369 | 3,034 | 8.2 | 33.0 | 63 | 6 | 9 | 8 | |
Playoff Stats
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Y/G | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Y/G | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2008 | BAL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 43 | 14.3 | 21.5 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | BAL | 2 | 2 | 35 | 226 | 6.5 | 113.0 | 83 | 2 | 9 | 60 | 6.7 | 30.0 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2010 | BAL | 2 | 2 | 29 | 89 | 3.1 | 44.5 | 14 | 1 | 12 | 74 | 6.2 | 37.0 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2011 | BAL | 2 | 2 | 42 | 127 | 3.0 | 63.5 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 31 | 6.2 | 15.5 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | BAL | 4 | 4 | 84 | 306 | 3.6 | 76.5 | 32 | 2 | 8 | 88 | 11.0 | 22.0 | 47 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Career | 12 | 10 | 191 | 750 | 3.9 | 62.5 | 83 | 5 | 37 | 296 | 8.0 | 24.7 | 47 | 1 | 6 | 5 | |
Career Awards and Highlights
- Super Bowl champion (XLVII)
- 3× Pro Bowl selection (2009, 2011, 2012)
- 2× Second-team All-Pro selection (2009, 2011)
- AFC rushing touchdowns leader (2011)
- NFL scrimmage yards leader (2011)
- First-team All-American (2007)
- Second-team All-American (2006)
- 2× First-team All-Big East (2006, 2007)
Charitable Work and Speaking
Ray Rice is also known for helping his community. In 2012, he was voted Baltimore's most charitable person. He supported groups like the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He also worked to prevent cyberbullying and help people experiencing homelessness. In 2016, he helped give Christmas presents to children from families with lower incomes.
Since his football career ended, Rice has become a motivational speaker. He talks to high school and college athletes. He shares his story to teach about important life lessons.
