NFL Quick kicks: Janay Rice claims Roger Goodell ‘not honest’ on ‘Today’ show

Janay Rice says NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wasn’t being honest when he said Ray Rice was “ambiguous” about hitting her in a casino elevator.

“I know for a fact … that Ray told the honest truth that he’s been telling from February,” Janay Rice told NBC’s “Today” show in an interview that will be broadcast today. A second segment will be shown Tuesday.

As for Goodell, she said: “I can’t say he’s telling the truth.”

An arbitrator Friday threw out Ray Rice’s indefinite suspension, making the former Baltimore Ravens running back a free agent. Former U.S. District Judge Barbara Jones called Goodell’s decision in September to change Rice’s original suspension from two games to indefinite “arbitrary” and an “abuse of discretion.”

The Rices met with Goodell in June. He then issued a two-game suspension but increased it to indefinite after an in-elevator video of Rice striking his then-fiancee in February was made public. The Ravens released Rice that day.

“I think they did what they had to do for themselves,” Janay Rice said, referring to the NFL.

In her interview with “Today” host Matt Lauer, Janay Rice said she was furious with Ray but never considered leaving him.

“Of course, in the back of my mind and in my heart I knew that our relationship wouldn’t be over because I know that this isn’t us, and it’s not him,” she said.

Rice, a three-time Pro Bowl player during six seasons with the Ravens, hopes to return to the NFL. It’s uncertain whether a team will sign him this late in the season.

In discussing her husband’s chances of landing with a team, Janay Rice said “it’s going to take some work.”

“For them to look past this situation, which I know is going to be hard. But at the end of the day he’s a football player and that’s what they should be really focused on because he’s proven himself as a football player for seven years. There’s never been a question on what he can do on the field.”

Around the league

Five Rams players stood with their arms raised in an apparent show of solidarity for Ferguson protesters before trotting onto the field before St. Louis’ 52-0 win over Oakland. … As part of its flex scheduling, the NFL has moved Philadelphia’s game at Washington to Saturday, Dec. 20 at 1:30 p.m. on the NFL Network. San Diego’s game at San Francisco will follow at 5:25 p.m. on CBS.