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Game day at the stadium: Ravens fans talk Ray Rice

Loyal Baltimore Ravens fans excited as they pregame before their team went head to head with the San Diego Chargers. “We are die hard ravens fans, we have...

Loyal Baltimore Ravens fans excited as they pregame before their team went head to head with the San Diego Chargers.

"We are die hard ravens fans, we have season tickets, we come to every home game," said Kathleen Frick of Reading, Pennsylvania.

Except for some, it's still not the same without their favorite player.

"There's a place in everyone's heart, in our city, for Ray Rice," added Denise Shipowick of Baltimore.

The former Ravens Running Back won his appeal Friday. Rice was suspended indefinitely from the NFL after video surfaced of him punching his-then fiancee Janay, back in February.

Some fans say even though what Ray Rice did was wrong, everyone deserves second chances.

"He made a very bad mistake and he deserves to be punished for it, but not to ruin his career," said Garry Bernabe of Princeton, New Jersey.

"Even with the good that he did with the Ravens in the past, with the community involvement and his impact on the team, I think he does deserve another shot," added Kevin Parker of Baltimore.

They point to the NFL saying Rice was a target and that the league didn't handle it properly. "Instead, they punished him, then they decided they didn't punish him enough so now we got to punish him more," Mark Jones said, a Ravens fan.

"Other players kind of messed up as well and they kind of just got a slap on the wrist and let go and he got completely cut from a team that he got us to -- we won a Super Bowl with him. We need him back on our team, I don't think the NFL treated him fairly at all," said Jennie Smith of Baltimore, a die hard Ravens and Ray Rice fan.

With Rice reinstated to the NFL, he's now free to sign with any NFL team. According to ESPN, at least four franchises have expressed interest in Rice.

"He'll do a great job wherever he lands up," said Anthony Mitchell. "I rooted for him when he was here. I'll keep rooting for him," added Jones.

Others say while Rice was a good player, the team is fine without him. "We have a lot of great players, and I think you know and they step up and take the place of Ray Rice," added Frick.

In a written statement provided to FOX43 news, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence said, "We are disheartened that the actions of the NFL, from the beginning of the incident, led to the player’s suspension for domestic violence (misconduct), being overturned. Though, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) is not surprised by the hearing and the resulting decision, we are concerned that once again the issue of domestic violence has been minimized. The influence the NFL and its players have on our society is real; as was the incident of domestic violence we all saw on the video of this NFL player assaulting his partner. The NFL has taken steps since to correct the mistakes of the past, but unless they are serious we will continue to have these incidents and these results of these incidents. It is our hope that the NFL and other influencers of our society will not lose sight of the fact that domestic violence is a serious matter and should not be allowed to be excused in any institution, organization, work place or playing field, no matter the outcome for an individual who has committed such violence."

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