Mueller Report: NFL knew about Ray Rice incident but didn't possess video

An investigation by former FBI director Robert Mueller has concluded there is no evidence to suggest that the NFL possessed the in-elevator video of Ray Rice's domestic violence incident before its public release.

The report released Thursday does indicate, however, that the league had "substantial information suggesting a serious event had occurred inside the elevator that the League should have further investigated."

Had the league investigated the incident, the report continues, "it may have uncovered additional information about the incident, possibly including the in-elevator video prior to its public release."

These findings directly contradict a September report by the Associated Press that cited a law enforcement official who claimed someone in the league office possessed the video.

According to New York Giants president John Mara and Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II, who oversaw the investigation, the process included sifting through "millions of documents, emails and text messages." 

Everyone from commissioner Roger Goodell to "people in the mailroom" were interviewed and vetted in an effort to get to the bottom of the incident, they said. 

The owners' statement concludes that the situation was mishandled due to policy weaknesses, and that Roger Goodell was "forthright in the statements he made to the owners about the matter."

Summarizing the results of the four-month investigation, Mueller concluded that, "The NFL should have done more with the information it had, and should have taken additional steps to obtain all available information about the February 15 incident."

Other conclusions of the report include:

• The NFL's deference to law enforcement was a key barrier to uncovering the details of the incident.
• Deference to law enforcement in this case "Can foster an environment in which it is less important to understand precisely what a player did than to understand how and when the criminal justice system addresses the event."

The NFL repeatedly deferred to the New Jersey State Police before the tape's public release, claiming that because it was an "ongoing criminal investigation" they were unable to access the video. 

Although the investigation is being positioned as independent, it was overseen by two owners with long-standing ties to the league. Also, Robert Mueller is a partner at the WilmerHale law firm, which has represented NFL interests in legal negotiations with DirecTV.

The relationship has raised questions about how independent the investigation could be. At least three former WilmerHale lawyers are now working in the NFL, including Baltimore Ravens president Richard Cass.