It would have been illegal , Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in a memo Wednesday to the top officials of the NFL 's 32 teams . NJ law prohibits release of certain evidence during legal matters , NFL boss says . NFL sends memo to all 32 teams explaining why they had n't released video until Monday . TMZ Sports released a video online showing Ray Rice punching his future wife . Critics said the NFL should also have been able to get the video and an earlier one .
NJ law prohibits release of certain evidence during legal matters , NFL boss says . NFL sends memo to all 32 teams explaining why they had n't released video until Monday . TMZ Sports released a video online showing Ray Rice punching his future wife . Critics said the NFL should also have been able to get the video and an earlier one .