After it was reported Thursday by the AP that the police sent a copy of the Ray Rice elevator altercation video to the NFL office made to the attention of chief of security, Jeffrey Miller, the AP now has more conclusive evidence to back their claim.
The AP reporter who broke the story, Rob Maadi, appeared on SportsCenter Sunday confirming that he had in fact heard a voicemail of a female NFL employee confirming the receipt of the video. Maadi stated, via CBS :
“With our standards of anonymous sources, that was the only reason we went forward with this story. We don’t do ‘he said, she said.’ We had to have proof, whether it’s audio, visual, email. And when I heard that voicemail, and saw that the number was from the NFL main office number, that’s why we were able to go forward with it and confirm it…”I heard the voicemail, I looked at the caller ID number and I know that number is the NFL — I called that number to confirm (it).”
When asked if he knew the identity of the woman on the voicemail recording Maadi stated:
“We do not,” Maaddi said. “And that’s the big question here. There are over 450 employees in the NFL. Countless people who go through there day in and day out. So we don’t know who that source is. … (The source) had sent (the tape to NFL headquarters) about 7-10 days prior before getting that confirmation call. So we don’t know who that woman is or who she gave it to. … My source had no further communication with anyone else.
“And let’s be clear here: We have never, ever accused the NFL, Roger Goodell or Jeffrey Miller of viewing the video, or any wrongdoing. All we have stated is that the video was in the building and a woman called to confirm she received it. Who that woman is, that’s the key to solving this puzzle.”
Maadi also then clarified that neither he nor the AP was accusing Goodell of viewing the video, but just being in receipt of the video. Which many can then argue is even more willful blindness on their part, and more damning of the League.