BUTLER GRAD

THE ROCK

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti disputed a report suggesting he and other team officials tried to persuade the NFL to be lenient on Ray Rice after the running back was arrested in February for knocking out his then-fiancee in an Atlantic City elevator.Bisciotti, who rarely met with the media before the Rice saga, said he felt it necessary to respond to an ESPN story last week that described he, president Dick Cass and general manager Ozzie Newsome pushing Commissioner Roger Goodell for leniency for Rice.Bisciotti acknowledged that the backlash over the handling of the domestic violence case is by far the biggest crisis he's faced since taking over the team 14 years ago, but defended the integrity of his organization.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta has undergone surgery to repair a dislocated right hip and is done for the year.He had surgery one day after suffering the injury in Baltimore's win over Cleveland. Pitta went down without being touched and had to be removed from the field.

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