AP

Throughout the waves of negative publicity created by punching his wife in the face, Ray Rice has always been able to count on the Ravens for support.

Fans gave him a standing ovation at practice. The team’s PR director wrote a 1,200-word essay on what a great guy Rice was. Coach John Harbaugh said he was proud of the way Rice had handled it (though not proud of the act).

But some of that backing may be slipping away.

A Ravens player told Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report that any support Rice had in the locker room had evaporated.

“I don’t think he has very much support now at all,” the player texted. “I think it’s gone.”

The player said Rice told teammates initially that he was defending himself from an attacking Janay Palmer — such that that matters — and the video released this morning contradicts that flimsy attempt at justification.

We’ve already seen a number of players on other teams come out firing after the video of him dropping his wife with one punch emerged.

But if his own guys are turning their backs on him, it might be hard for him to continue.

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