Ray Rice says worst thing he could have done after assaulting wife was not 'help her up'

Former NFL player said he is a 'rehabilitated man'

Survivors of domestic violence have felt the need to defend abusive partners like Janay Rice (right) (AP)

Ray Rice, the former NFL star who knocked his wife unconscious and dragged her out of a lift, has said one of the things he still “wrestles” with when thinking about the assault is the fact that he did not “help her up” afterwards.

Rice, who is hoping to make his sporting comeback a year after being sacked, appeared contrite in an interview with Outside the Lines, insisting he was a “rehabilitated man”.

His contract with the Baltimore Ravens was terminated with immediate effect after disturbing CCTV footage emerged showing Rice striking his then-fiancée Janay Palmer in the face twice, with the second blow knocking her unconscious.

He then pulled her up by her arms across the lift in a casino hotel, before dragging her half way out.

Rice has expressed remorse over the whole incident, saying “number one”, he should never have put his hands on her.

He has not played a game professionally since December 2013.

When asked what else he regretted about the night after the incident, he replied: “I didn’t help my wife up. I did everything wrong at that moment. I was out of my mind not to help her up. That’s what plays over in my mind. Just leaving her there. […] How could you not help her up in that moment? That’s the part that I wrestle with today.

“If I’d have done it different, I should have helped my wife up. I should have never put my hands on her number one, but to leave her there, treat her like nothing, was the worst thing I ever could have done."