While coaching at such an young age is certainly not the path Ray Rice envisioned for himself when he first stepped onto an NFL field, it may be where he proves to make his greatest moves.
The former Baltimore Raven running back has taken a volunteer assistant coaching job at New Rochelle High School in New Jersey where he once starred on the field. He will be the running backs coach, and will also work with defensive backs.
New Rochelle coach Lou Dirienzo tells The Journal News that Rice has been around the team for awhile, and is now taking on a more active role.
“Ray’s been volunteering and mentoring these kids and training these kids and coaching these kids and on the sidelines on Saturdays,” he says. “He’s been a volunteer for the last three years. He just happens to have more time in his schedule now.”
While it may not be the second chance he has been hoping for, it may be the one that gives him the chance to make a huge impact on the youth in his hometown.