Ray Rice speaks as new video shows obscenities, spitting

Ray Rice broke his silence in his domestic violence case Tuesday, saying "I have to be strong for my wife," who defended her husband as "the man I love."

Rice was released by the Baltimore Ravens on Monday and suspended indefinitely by the NFL after a video emerged showing Rice punching his then-fiancee in the face inside an elevator in the Revel Casino Hotel in Atlantic City in February.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell appeared on "The CBS Evening News" Tuesday night and said he would not rule out a return to the NFL for the 27-year-old running back. The commissioner said, however, he would have to see evidence that Rice had taken proper steps in dealing with his problem.

"She is so strong," Rice said in a statement released to ESPN reporter Josina Anderson. "We are in good spirits. We have a lot of people praying for us and we'll continue to support each other. I have to be there for [Janay] and my family right now and work through this."

Janay Palmer defended her husband early Tuesday with a post on her Instagram account. Palmer referred to their situation as a "horrible nightmare" and lashed out at the media for inflaming opinions that "hurt us" and "make us feel alone."

Rice had previously been suspended two games and would have been eligible to rejoin the Ravens on Friday.

Goodell told Norah O'Donnell of CBS that no one in the league office had seen video of the altercation inside the elevator. Previously, only a video showing Rice dragging his unconscious fiancee out of the elevator had been available.

"We had not seen any videotape of what occurred in the elevator," Goodell said. "We assumed that there was a video. We asked for a video. We asked for anything that was pertinent. But we were never granted that opportunity."

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Tuesday the league had "requested from law enforcement any and all information about the incident, including any video that may exist."

A spokesman for the New Jersey attorney general's office told ABC News Tuesday that it would have been illegal to give the NFL a copy of the video.

The Associated Press reported Tuesday morning that it saw a longer, higher-quality version of the video that shows the couple "shouting obscenities at each other" and Palmer spitting in Rice's face.

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti sent a letter to fans who own personal seat licenses, saying, "I am sorry we let you down."

The Ravens terminated Rice's contract on Monday. Rice had three years and $10 million remaining on his deal. Nike announced yesterday it was ending its endorsement deal with Rice, and EA Sports has pulled Rice from its "Madden NFL 15" video game. The Ravens also said fans could exchange their Rice jerseys at team stores.

Rutgers University, where Rice starred, has decided not to use images of the running back at its home stadium in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Jets quarterback Michael Vick said he believes Rice deserves another chance. Vick spent 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a part of a dog-fighting operation in which Vick himself participated in exterminating underperforming dogs.

"I hope so," Vick told WFAN's Mike Francesa, when asked if he believes Rice should get another chance to play. "I took away a lot from what I went through.

"Somebody told me you can go 23 hours in a day and do the right thing," Vick said, "and the last hour screw up, that's all people are going to remember."