AP

Ray Rice still doesn’t have much substantial interest, but he is building a base of people behind him, pushing for him to get another chance to play in the NFL.

Via Adam Schefter of ESPN, the co-founders of a national anti-domestic violence group are calling for Rice to get another chance. Coupled with the support of former coach Greg Schiano, they’re hoping it gets him an invitation to a training camp.

Both Tony Porter and Ted Bunch, co-counders of “A Call To Men,” have worked with Rice since November, and they think he deserves a chance to play.

“We have been around a lot of abusive men, but our experience with Ray has been tremendously positive,” Porter said this weekend. “We feel strongly about him having the opportunity of having a second chance. He’s deserving of it.”

Porter and Bunch have worked up-close with Rice, watching him speak to athletes at Rutgers and at his old high school, sharing a message about learning from mistakes and growing from the.

“He’s held himself accountable,” Bunch said. “He is saying everything that you would want him to say and doing everything that you would want him to do. So why wouldn’t he deserve another chance? His work in the area of educating young men is more important than him getting back on the field. He knows that and has said that to us. He is seeing the bigger picture. He has a desire to compete again, but also to make a difference in the world. This is what mistakes should be about; learning from them and teaching others. We’ve been in front of a lot of batterers. He is as transparent as I’ve seen, and as sincere as I’ve seen.”

He’s also coming off a 3.1 yards per carry season the last time he played football. While Rice’s contrition might be pure and his intentions good, that could ultimately be the thing keeping him off the field when players such as Greg Hardy and Adrian Peterson are both on it, and handsomely rewarded.