Since the Kansas City Chiefs clinched victory in Super Bowl LVIII back in February, Rashee Rice, the rising star rookie wide receiver, has experienced a series of setbacks, including multiple legal entanglements. This trend persisted on Friday, with reports emerging of a purported incident preceding the 2023 NFL Draft.
Here’s Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio with more.
However, there are specific factual details that became known to teams—details that hadn’t been publicly disclosed before the draft. These facts could influence how the NFL addresses Rice’s current legal issues.
According to multiple sources, several teams were made aware, during the pre-draft evaluation period, of an alleged incident involving Rice during his time at SMU. It’s reported that Rice suspected Kendric Davis, a former SMU basketball player, of being involved with Rice’s girlfriend. Allegedly, Rice and some associates attended an SMU basketball game. According to information gathered by at least one team, Rice or someone with him purportedly discharged multiple rounds into Davis’s unoccupied vehicle.
Multiple sources indicate that it was widely believed that every team, including the Chiefs, was informed about this incident before the draft. Despite this knowledge, Kansas City selected Rice in the second round as the fifty-fifth overall pick.
In March, Rashee Rice was implicated as one of the drivers involved in a street-racing collision with luxury vehicles in the Dallas area, resulting in multiple injuries unrelated to the racing. He now confronts up to eight felony charges stemming from the incident, allegedly driving at 119 mph.
Adding to his legal woes, recent reports unveiled an investigation into Rice for purportedly striking a photographer at a Dallas club earlier this week.
Clearly, Rashee Rice’s troubles are mounting. While the NFL might be lenient with a single, out-of-character arrest, these three incidents suggest a pattern of unlawful behavior. This poses a challenge for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who may find it difficult to overlook Rice’s alleged propensity for breaking the law.
By now, it appears that the Chiefs should anticipate being without Rashee Rice for a significant portion of the 2024 season. Fortunately, they’ve taken steps to bolster their wide receiver corps during the offseason, a need they already had. They secured Hollywood Brown through a signing and invested a first-round pick in Xavier Worthy, a speedster from Texas. Nevertheless, they might have to explore additional options to compensate for Rice’s expected suspension.
During his rookie campaign, Rice demonstrated his impact with 938 yards and 7 touchdowns in the regular season, along with another 262 yards and a touchdown in the postseason.