Ray Rice says he, Janay Rice are in 'good spirits'

Ray Rice offered a comment to ESPN a day after the release of a video showing him punching his wife, Janay Rice, in the face in a casino and hotel elevator.

"We are in good spirits," Rice told ESPN's Josina Anderson. "We have a lot of people praying for us and we’ll continue to support each other,” Rice said. “I have to be there for [Janay] and my family right now and work through this.”

Rice was released by the Ravens hours after TMZ published the footage inside of an elevator at the now closed Revel Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, N.J. Initially suspended two games by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Rice was subsequently suspended indefinitely, with the league claiming it had never seen this video.

Janay Rice also spoke to Anderson, saying that she still loves her husband and that she wishes for "people to respect our privacy."

Janay Rice also took to her personal Instagram account on Tuesday morning to voice her displeasure of television networks airing the video.

"I woke up this morning feeling like I had a horrible nightmare, feeling like I'm mourning the death of my closest friend," she wrote. "But to have to accept the fact that it's reality is a nightmare itself. No one knows the pain that the media & unwanted options from the public has caused my family. To make us relive a moment in our lives that we regret everyday is a horrible thing.

"To take something away from the man I love that he has worked his ass off for all his life just to gain ratings is horrific. THIS IS OUR LIFE! What don't you all get. If your intentions were to hurt us, embarrass us, make us feel alone, take all happiness away, you've succeeded on so many levels. Just know we will continue to grow & show the world what real love is! Ravensnation we love you!"

Follow me on Twitter: @JasonHButt

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