NFL: Baltimore Ravens owner Stephen Bisciotti says 'sorry' over Ray Rice video

Stephen Bisciotti, who owns NFL franchise Baltimore Ravens, told a news conference on Monday, that it ‘never crossed my mind’ to demand the offending video that showed running back Ray Rice strike Janay Palmer – whom he would later marry.

Rice's punch knocked out his fiancee which eventually led to him being suspended indefinitely by the League and sacked by Baltimore after the video was released.

Originally, before the video was made public, the NFL suspended Rice for two games following the incident which happened in a lift at a casino in Atlantic City.

It has been suggested that Bisciotti had wanted a lenient penalty to be given to Rice who is appealing his indefinite suspension.

Asked why he had never asked to view the video, Bisciotti said: "There is no excuse for me to have not demanded that video except I wasn't concerned or interested enough to demand it.

“It never crossed my mind I'm sorry for that, deeply sorry for that."          

The NFL has been engulfed in a crisis for its bungled handling of Rice's case and a spate of domestic violence and abuse cases involving other players.

The 54-year-old Bisciotti added: "If it would have crossed my mind, I would have demanded it.

“And if I had demanded it, I would've gotten it, and if I would've gotten it, I would have forwarded it to the NFL."