The NFL official in charge of discipline defended the sentence handed down to a running back who was caught on video dragging his unconscious fiancee out of an Atlantic City elevator. Ray Rice, who was charged with third-degree aggravated assault after allegedly striking Janay Palmer in February, recently received a two-game suspension from the NFL for his role in the incident.

The length of Rice's suspension drew criticism for its relative lightness. Under commissioner Roger Goodell, players routinely receive lengthy suspensions for off-the-field behavior. A Minnesota Vikings coach was suspended for three games after a player complained about his alleged homophobic comments.

NFL senior vice-president of labor policy Adolpho Birch defended the length of Rice's suspension on ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike:

On balance, we reviewed all the materials, listened to the persons we listened to, took the input of the Players Association. When we looked on balance at all of that, we believe that discipline we issued is appropriate. It is multiple games and hundreds of thousands of dollars. I think that's fair to say that doesn't reflect that you condone the behavior. I think we can put that to rest.