Watch CBS Sports' James Brown Open Thursday Night Football With Powerful Speech About Domestic Violence Awareness

In wake of Ray Rice scandal, plans to play Rihanna theme song are scrapped in favor of more poignant opener ahead of Baltimore Ravens' game vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

By Natalie Finn Sep 12, 2014 2:03 AMTags
James Brown, NFL, Domestic ViolenceCBS

James Brown did an epic job kicking off Thursday Night Football tonight.

After the network scrapped plans for what would have been an ill-timed debut for Rihanna's new TNF opener, the CBS Sports host instead opened the broadcast with some poignant remarks about domestic violence and it is a problem that demands action not just from the NFL but from the rest of society.

"Now, let's be clear," Brown said, "this problem is bigger than football. There has been, appropriately so, intense and widespread outrage following the release of the video showing what happened in the elevator at the casino. Now, wouldn't it be productive, if this collective outrage could be channeled to truly hear and address the long-suffering cries for help from so many women and, as they said, do something about it."

Brown was of course referring to the video posted by TMZ that showed now former Ravens star running back Ray Rice punching then-fiancée-and-now-wife Janay in the face.

Rice had previously received a two-game suspension in response to the incident, assault charges against the athlete having been dropped after he agreed to a diversion program. There was one video out at the time, showing him dragging Janay out of the elevator.

Rob Carr/Getty Images

But the immediate outcry over the second video, released Monday, prompted the Ravens to terminate Rice's contract that very day, after which he was suspended indefinitely by the NFL, which at this point still maintains that it had no knowledge of such a tape when Rice got that initial wrist slap.

Even if tonight's national-TV matchup hadn't involved the Ravens, surely Brown would have addressed the controversy rocking the very foundation of the NFL regardless.

Watch Brown's eloquent opening monologue right here:

And here's a transcript making the rounds, courtesy of Matthew Henderson.