A former NFL Super Bowl-winning head coach believes disgraced player Ray Rice could find it difficult to get back into American Football, in similar circumstances to rapist Ched Evans.

Rice made headlines for the wrong reasons late last year after footage emerged of him violently knocking out his then fiancee in a lift and dragging her body back to their room.

While he is allowed to sign with a franchise, there are yet to be any possible suitors for the running back.

Welsh striker Evans has attempted to return to football with Oldham and Sheffield United but both clubs pulled out of the deal due to the public backlash.

Tony Dungy feels that Rice may struggle to get back onto the field, especially if other teams aren’t strong enough to ignore the public outcry.

Dungy said: “I think he’ll have some trouble because there are some people who just think you do certain things and it doesn’t matter, you should never be involved again.”

“You have to be very, very tough-minded to say, ‘We’re going to do the right thing, no matter what people think’,” the 59-year-old added.

“You do owe a debt to your fans and people but you still have a sense in your heart of what the right thing is to do.

“If you feel like you’re doing the right thing, and nobody else does, you have to be pretty strong to go against that.”

Rice apologised for his actions, something Evans half-heartedly did after Oldham backed out of a deal, and Dungy believes that players should be allowed back into the sport but only after they have shown remorse.

He said: “You want to find out if what has happened to him has had an impact and if he has changed his thinking.

“I’m one who believes in second chances but I believe in second chances for people who look at the situation and make those changes.

“Not that everybody deserves a second chance but the person who really is repentant and says: ‘I’ve learned my lesson and I’m going in a different direction,’ you step out and give those guys an opportunity.”

NFL quarterback Michael Vick is due to play at Wembley stadium later this year with the New York Jets but an online petition with over 21,000 signatures is attempting to stop Vick from being allowed in the country.

Vick was jailed for 23 months in 2007 for his running an illegal dog fighting ring and while Dungy believes that while Vick deserves a second chance, he understands that not everyone shares his feelings.

“I’ve had people very critical and mad at me because I said I think Michael Vick is a changed person,” Dungy said.

“But there’s some people who say it doesn’t matter, once you’ve done something you deserve to never have an opportunity again.

“I think there’ll be a little difficulty but hopefully, if these guys have changed, they are given a chance to show it.”