The NFL says it has "no knowledge" of anyone in its offices receiving a copy of the now infamous Ray Rice video in April, as a law enforcement official claimed in a report the Associated Press published Wednesday.
"We are not aware of anyone in our office who possessed or saw the video before it was made public on Monday," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an e-mail to USA TODAY Sports. "We will look into it."
Since the video of Rice punching his then-fiancée was posted Monday on TMZ, the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell — who suspended Rice indefinitely — have been adamant they didn't see the violent images until this week.
But a law enforcement official told the Associated Press he sent a video of Rice punching Janay Palmer, now Rice's wife, to an NFL executive five months ago. The law enforcement official also played the AP a 12-second voicemail from an NFL office number on April 9 confirming the video arrived. A female voice expresses thanks and says: "You're right. It's terrible."
The official, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation, says the NFL never followed up. The person can't confirm if anyone at the NFL watched the video. The person said he shared the video — which he was unauthorized to release — because he wanted the NFL to have it before deciding on Rice's punishment.
Tom Pelissero, USA TODAY Sports
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