Baltimore Ravens press release on Ray Rice
The Baltimore Ravens released a press release regarding the new contract given to running back Ray Rice. I already wrote the story on the contract which can be found here. For quotes and more contract details here is the complete press release from the Ravens.
The Baltimore Ravens have signed RB Ray Rice to a five-year contract, general manager/executive vice president Ozzie Newsome announced Monday afternoon.
Rice visited the team’s facility and said he will address the new contract with media after spending time with his family and friends. This will likely take place when Rice reports to training camp next Wednesday (July 25).
“This is another example of Steve Bisciotti’s commitment to the team and to our fans to retain our core players,” Newsome stated. “Ray has been an integral part of us earning the playoffs in each of his four seasons, and that includes helping us get to two AFC Championship games. His production on the field speaks for itself, and his leadership in the locker room is outstanding.
“I should say something about his community efforts; I think they are almost unmatched by any player in the NFL. You’d have a hard time finding a player who does more or is as serious about helping others as Ray is. He is one of those players you can proudly say, ‘He’s on our team.’”
Rice, 25, enters his fifth NFL season after being designated with the Ravens’ franchise tag in February. Baltimore originally selected the 5-8, 212-pounder in the second round (55th overall) of the 2008 Draft.
Playing in 61 career games (49 starts), the two-time Pro Bowler (2009 and 2011) ranks second on both the franchise’s all-time rushing yards (4,377) and total scrimmage yards (6,612) charts. Below are several notes/highlights for his career.
· Ranks second in Ravens franchise history with 4,377 rushing yards (RB Jamal Lewis – 7,801)…His 959 attempts also stand second (Lewis – 1,822), while his 24 rushing TDs rank third (Lewis – 45 and RB Willis McGahee – 31).
· With his 1,364 rushing yards and 704 receiving yards in 2011, Rice joined Pro Football Hall of Fame RB Marshall Faulk (four times) as the only players in league history to register at least 1,200 rushing yards and 700 receiving yards in multiple seasons (Rice finished the 2009 season with 1,339 rushing yards and 702 receiving yards).
· Led the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 2,068 (1,364 rushing and 704 receiving) in 2011…Rice was the only player to produce 2,000 yards from scrimmage in 2011…His 2,068 yards from scrimmage are second all time in Ravens history (Jamal Lewis, 2,271 in 2003).
· Produced a franchise-record 15 touchdowns (12 rushing and three receiving) in 2011.
· Owns 12 100-yard rushing games (last: 191 yards, 1/1/12 at Cin.).
· Rushed for a career-high 204 yards (fourth most in Ravens history) vs. Cle. (12/4/11).
· Led the team with 78 receptions (for 702 yards and a TD) and also led all NFL RBs in receptions and receiving yards in 2009, setting the Ravens’ RB single-season records in those categories.
· Rice is the Ravens’ all-time receiving leader by a RB (250 for 2,235)…He posted a team-high 76 catches for a career-high 704 yards in 2011.
· Produced a career-high 233 yards from scrimmage, rushing a career-high 31 times for 153 yards and pulled in a team-high five receptions for 80 yards and a TD in the 30-24 victory vs. NO (12/19/10).
· Ran for a Ravens’ postseason-franchise-record 159 yards and postseason-franchise-record-tying two TDs on 22 carries (7.2 avg.), including a career-long and franchise-postseason-record 83-yard TD rush (second longest in NFL postseason history), in the 33-14 victory in the Wild Card Game at NE (1/10/10).
· Became the second non-QB (WR Mark Clayton) in Ravens history to throw a TD pass, with his 1-yard toss to TE Ed Dickson at Sea. (11/13/11).
