During a surprisingly emotional appearance before a congressional panel on Tuesday , Troy Vincent , the NFL 's executive vice president of football operations , admitted the league made a `` crucial mistake '' in its initial punishment of Ray Rice and got choked up when describing his commitment to improving their policies . `` I 've committed my life , worked for the last 20 years as an advocate against domestic violence in an effort to keep others from experiencing this lifetime pain , '' Vincent said , his voice strained . `` I relate to the twenty million victims -- survivors -- of domestic violence , sexual abuse , in every community across our great nation . '' Under pointed questioning from Sen. Claire McCaskill , D-Missouri , and Sen. John Thune , R-South Dakota , who serve on the Senate Commerce , Science and Transportation Committee , before which Vincent appeared , the NFL executive admitted the league should have acted sooner in punishing the Baltimore Ravens cornerback . Rice was seen in two separate videos assaulting his then-fiancee , now wife , Janay Rice . The NFL initially handed down a two-game suspension for the star , before deciding to rethink the punishment and suspend him indefinitely . `` I do n't think there was a need for a second video to impose a proper discipline , '' Vincent told Thune , the committee 's top Republican . `` We failed in that particular area ... we made a critical mistake . '' Janay Rice : Ray Rice was 'terrified ' after hitting me . The first video , posted by TMZ in January , shows Rice dragging the unconscious Janay out of a hotel elevator . The second video , released in September , shows Rice hitting her with such great force that it knocks her unconscious , before he proceeds to drag her out of the elevator . The league has consistently denied that it saw the second video before it was posted online by TMZ . But , as Thune pointed out in the hearing , the league admitted in a June testimony that it suspected that a full video of the incident did exist . Vincent said regardless of whether the league had access to the video , or knew of its existence , it should have taken action sooner . `` As we look at our personal conduct policy , we failed , '' Vincent said . `` The commissioner failed to impose the proper Ray Rice penalty in the beginning . '' NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has also denied having ever been granted access to the second video , telling CBS in September , `` We asked for anything that 's pertinent , but we were never granted that opportunity . '' According to Vincent , the NFL is working to hard reform their process of dealing with issues of domestic violence , with the goal of both preventing and punishing such misbehavior . `` We believe that wearing a uniform of NFL player is a privilege , '' he said . `` It is not a right . Every member of the NFL community must embrace this unique leadership role that we play in our society and the trust that you place in us . '' But at the same time , Vincent stressed his commitment to ensuring that players receive fair due process . `` I support the interests of all players in a fair process , '' Vincent said . `` I have led these efforts . I know that a majority of our current and former players are terrific husbands , fathers and men who have made incredible contributions to their communities . '' Vincent said he expects the full investigation into the Ray Rice episode to conclude `` at any time '' and he believes the report will be made public . Opinion : Ray Rice does n't deserve second chance .
Top NFL executive tells congressional panel the league made a mistake in its initial disciplining of Ray Rice . Domestic violence will be taken more seriously going forward , says NFL 's Troy Vincent .