Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is set to return in 2025 after missing a majority of last season with a knee injury. The Chiefs will be getting back another offensive weapon that quarterback Patrick Mahomes can rely on.
The last week, Rice has expressed his excitement and eagerness to get back on the field and perform at a high level for the Chiefs. Rice also expressed that the offense is ready to put on a show this season and get back to the Super Bowl.
Rice's recent suspension update however, has raised concerns about if the Chiefs will be able to rely on him throughout the majority of the season.
The latest on Rashee Rice's suspension with the Chiefs
In March of 2024, Rice was involved in a multi-vehicle crash in Dallas, where he was driving 119 miles per hour in his Lamborghini during the accident. The status of the criminal charges against Rice has been unresolved for the speed racing crash.
The NFL hasn't suspended Rice, despite the fact that he is currently facing eight felony charges. The NFL has stated that it won't take action on whether or not to suspend Rice until his criminal case ends.
Paid leave has become an option for the league to punish Rice, but the NFL has already decided not to use it in his case. Rice's knee injury that he suffered early last season has changed the league's approach to suspending Rice.
The league's original plan was for Rice to get through the 2024 season and then resolve the criminal case and have him take his NFL punishment this offseason. His knee injury, however, changed that approach. There is a possibility that Rice could get through the 2025 season without being suspended by the NFL.
What if Rashee Rice gets suspended during the Chiefs 2025 season
At the moment, there is no timeframe on how long a suspension of Rice would last. Given the length of a possible suspension, his loss would have an major impact on the Chiefs offensive gameplan for the 2025 season.
While the Chiefs were able to rely on other receivers last season during Rice's absence with Xavier Worthy, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Hollywood Brown, having Rice in the lineup gives Mahomes another weapon to rely on offensively.
When healthy, Rice is arguably the best wide receiver of the group. In his rookie season back in 2023, Rice had 79 catches for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. If he can replicate those kinds of numbers – or come anywhere close for that matter – the Chiefs would love to have him on the field. Without him, KC will have to rely on the list of players mentioned above, and perhaps a trade deadline addition when all is said and done.
Worthy was just a rookie last season and showed some flashes. Brown wasn't remotely healthy, but believes he's finally injury-free for the first time in years. All of this is, in theory, a good sign.