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Ray Rice makes first comments to media since release of video

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Ray Rice spoke with ESPN's Josina Anderson on Tuesday, making his first comments to the media since the release Monday of a new video showing him striking his then-fiancée, Janay Palmer. 

"I have to be strong for my wife," Rice said. "She is so strong. 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."

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Rice was released by the Ravens on Monday and suspended indefinitely by the NFL.

The video, obtained by TMZ.com, shows Rice and Palmer, now his wife, in a hotel elevator, and Rice striking Palmer, knocking her to the ground. Previous video had shown Rice dragging Palmer out of the elevator into the hotel. 

Palmer made her first public comments since the video's release earlier Tuesday in an Instagram post.

- Dan Gartland