Ray Rice DID meet with the head coach of a New Jersey high school football team -- but it was NOT about a job and he has NOT been hired ... so says the school's athletic director.
Reports surfaced earlier Monday that Rice took a position to be the running back coach at Don Bosco Prep in Bergen County.
But it's not the case ... so says Athletic Director Bryan McAleer -- who tells TMZ Sports, "It's crazy how rumors start."
McAleer says he doesn't know exactly what Rice and the head football coach spoke about -- but he says Rice has not joined the staff and there are no ongoing talks about an official position with the team, as first clarified by NorthJersey.com's Chris Iseman.