KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The NFL has suspended Kansas City Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice for six games for his role in a March 2024 high-speed car crash, a team source said Wednesday.
His suspension will begin in Week 1 of the season, and he will be eligible to return Oct. 19 against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to the source.
Rice, 25, was sentenced last month to five years of probation and 30 days in jail after pleading guilty to two third-degree felony charges. Police reports indicated Rice was driving 119 mph in a Lamborghini Urus just before crashing and causing a chain reaction on a Dallas highway. Rice also didn’t check on other victims and fled the scene on foot.
In a statement from his attorney, Royce West, in July, Rice said he’d had “a lot of sleepless nights thinking about the damages my actions caused.”
“I will continue working within my means to make sure that everyone impacted will be made whole,” Rice said in the statement.
As part of the plea agreement with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, Rice had to pay restitution to all the victims for their out-of-pocket medical expenses before his plea — an amount that added up to $115,481.91.
However, an attorney for one of the victims said last month that Rice had yet to pay back $1 million promised in an agreed-upon settlement stemming from a civil suit.
A 2023 second-round pick out of SMU, Rice had 24 catches for 288 yards with two touchdowns in four games last season before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He emerged late in 2023 as the Chiefs’ top receiving threat, finishing with 79 catches for 938 yards.
NFL Network was first to report news of Rice’s six-game suspension.
What Rice’s suspension means for coach Andy Reid
The Chiefs have been preparing for this suspension, so it shouldn’t create a big shake-up.
Reid also pivoted like this last season. Rice suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 4, which forced the Chiefs to adjust their offensive game plan quickly.
The Chiefs weren’t always pretty offensively after that, but they still piecemealed their way to a 15-1 regular-season record before sitting their starters in Week 18. Kansas City also made its third straight Super Bowl appearance.
Rice will miss some big games in the first half of the season, including the Brazil opener against the AFC West rival Los Angeles Chargers, as well as games against contenders in the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions. But he will be eligible to play in the final 11 games of the season, including all but one division game and a Week 9 visit to the Buffalo Bills, plus the playoffs.
Who takes over in Rice’s absence?
Two receivers stand to benefit most: Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals — though Royals is battling an injury.
For Worthy, it could be more about assuming a high-volume role he inherited when Rice was out last season. When everyone is healthy, the Chiefs would love to use Worthy more downfield to space the defense. Rice’s absence, however, should prompt him to get more short passes where he can use his speed to pick up some yards after the catch.
What a catch by Xavier Worthy 🙌
📺: #HOUvsKC on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/gDJs5myn27— NFL (@NFL) January 18, 2025
Meanwhile, Royals, the fourth-round rookie, has a skill set that Chiefs coaches often compare to Rice. He’s physical and also strong in his lower half, making him a natural fit as a replacement for Rice’s position, which requires someone fearless over the middle and capable of creating yards after contact.
Royals, though, is battling knee tendinitis. He did not practice Tuesday, and Reid hinted recently that it might be some time before he returns.
Another potential worry for Royals will be playbook volume. Rice and Worthy both notably emerged for the Chiefs late in their rookie seasons after becoming more comfortable with the scheme.
Royals should face some of the same pains at some point, but if he’s healthy, the Chiefs will have little choice but to have him out there to play through mistakes.
One other consideration: No NFL coach loves tight ends more than Reid, so the potential is there for the Chiefs to flood the field with tight ends, including Travis Kelce, Noah Gray and Jared Wiley, until Rice returns.
Impact on Rice’s long-term future with Chiefs
The impact of Rice’s suspension is probably less than you think.
Rice’s five-year probation means he can’t make any more off-field mistakes without risking a longer jail sentence. He’s lucky to have a second chance, so a third one shouldn’t be expected.
It’s still hard to overstate how much the Chiefs love Rice’s ability. They see a huge ceiling for him.
Rice’s rookie contract runs out after next year, and the contract language could be tricky, given the circumstances. But if Rice produces this year the way the Chiefs expect after his suspension, he’s definitely a player they’d be interested in keeping for the long term.
(Photo: Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
