Judge rules Goodell must testify

— -- Roger Goodell will be forced to testify at the hearing on Ray Rice's appeal of his indefinite suspension by a judge's ruling, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Tuesday.

ESPN and multiple media reports said on Tuesday that the hearing will be heard Nov. 5-6.

Rice was suspended indefinitely Sept. 8 for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy after a video of Rice hitting his then-fiancee in an elevator was released publicly. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell originally had suspended Rice for two games.

Once the video became public, the Baltimore Ravens cut the star running back, and the league banned him indefinitely. The league considered the video to be new evidence, giving Goodell the authority to further suspend Rice.

The players' union is appealing Rice's suspension, saying Rice should not be punished twice.

The hearing's neutral arbiter, former U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones, was jointly picked by the commissioner and the players' union. Union officials said when the appeal was announced that Goodell and his staff's testimony are key to the appeal and a central reason to have an outside arbiter.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.