Ray Rice Releases Statement Apologizing for Domestic Abuse Incident

Former Baltimore Ravens star Ray Rice released a statement Friday apologizing for the domestic abuse incident that resulted in his banishment from the team last season. The 28-year-old running back also stated he wants to become a positive influence on the issue moving forward.

Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun reports Rice is still hoping to continue his football career but plans to move from Maryland back to his home state of New York. It's also noted he hasn't worked out for any teams since being reinstated last November.

Addressed to the city of Baltimore, here's the full statement Rice released to the Sun:

"

This is not a farewell or goodbye. The last seven years that my family and I have spent in Baltimore have by far been the best of our lives. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all for the love and support you've shown my family and I throughout my football career. We'll always be grateful for the love we've received from all of our fans and supporters, and for winning a Super Bowl. To all the kids who looked up to me, I'm truly sorry for letting you down, but I hope it's helped you learn that one bad decision can turn your dream into a nightmare. There is no excuse for domestic violence, and I apologize for the horrible mistake I made. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, and I hope to make a positive difference in people's lives by raising awareness of this issue. Thank you, Baltimore Ravens, for all you have done for my family and I. I'm very grateful to Steve Bisciotti, Ozzie Newsome, John Harbaugh, and everyone at 1 Winning Drive. I love you all very much, and I'll always be proud to say I played for the Baltimore Ravens.

"

Rice has found himself in a negative light ever since video was released that showed him knocking out his then-fiancee and current wife Janay Rice in an elevator. He didn't get any opportunities to rejoin an NFL team despite being free to sign since the latter stages of last season.

Any team interested in signing Rice knows the decision would come with intense media scrutiny at the outset, though Richie Incognito recently signed on with the Bills, the Vikings would welcome Adrian Peterson back, per ESPN.com's Ben Goessling, and Greg Hardy will likely have a number of suitors too.

Rice's remaining football ability is also in question. He averaged just 3.1 yards per carry in 2013 before missing the entire 2014 season. He didn't showcase the same type of skill that made him a top-tier rusher earlier in his career.

As a result, teams weighing the risk against the potential reward may find it difficult to view the Rutgers product as a viable free-agent option. Of course, all it takes is one interested team.