NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Calls Ray Rice Video 'Sickening'

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has spoken out against the recently-released security video showing Ray Rice beating his wife, calling the footage "sickening."

TMZ released a security footage video this week showing Rice and his then-fiance Janay Palmer having an altercation in the elevator of an Atlantic City hotel. The two exchange punches, and Rice delivers a strong blow to Palmer that knocks her into the elevator railing and renders her unconscious.

Rice, a running back, was dropped from his team the Baltimore Ravens and indefinitely suspended from the NFL.

"CBS This Morning" co-anchor Norah O'Donnell tweeted parts of her interview with Goodell, which is expected to air on Wednesday. "What we saw yesterday was extremely clear it was extremely graphic & it was sickening […] that's why we took […] action yesterday," O'Donnell quoted Goodell as saying.

Goodell added that the NFL was not aware of this most recent video until its release yesterday. Previously, a video from the hotel elevator had only showed Rice dragging an unconscious Palmer out from the elevator.

"We asked for anything that's pertinent. But we were never granted that opportunity," Goodell said of not receiving the video.

After Rice's dismissal from the Baltimore Ravens, wife Palmer took to Instagram to denounce the media's relentless pursuit of their personal issue.

"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," Palmer wrote in part.