The Baltimore Ravens and the National Football League (NFL) had a tolerance for domestic violence long before TMZ released a second video showing Ray Rice punching his then fiancée Janay Palmer during an altercation in an Atlantic City hotel elevator.

The written reports received by the Ravens and the NFL stated that Ray Rice punched Janay knocking her unconscious. The reports confirm he then proceeded to drag her out of the elevator and drop her to the floor.   All, except the knock out punch can be seen in the first video released by TMZ.

But the Ravens issued no form of disciplinary action against Rice. The NFL issued a two game suspension, and then days later announced new standardized penalties for domestic violence but only after the public cried foul over the embarrassingly low two game suspension.

It’s shocking that it took seeing the second video for the Ravens to terminate Rice’s contract and later the NFL to suspend him indefinitely. What did they think happened in the elevator in the first place? Did Janay suddenly succumb to the mere thoughts of violence from Ray’s football battered head? I think not.

Based on the information then available, the Ravens and the NFL had more than enough to justify the stiff penalties Rice ultimately received. To require proof certain is more about protecting the team and the NFL than about doing what is right. A pox on both their houses.