Rashee Rice Accepts Six-Game Suspension
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice has accepted a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. The suspension will go into effect at the start of the season.
The NFL announced that Rice will be eligible to return to the Chiefs in Week 7, before the October 19 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
In July, Rice was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years of probation for his involvement in a multiple-vehicle car accident in Dallas, which left several people injured during the 2024 offseason.
The NFL suspension, which Rice will not appeal, came after an internal investigation. This cancels a hearing scheduled for September 30.
Rice, 25, pleaded guilty to two third-degree felony charges: collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury. He received a deferred adjudication and the case will be dismissed if he completes probation.
In addition to missing the Chiefs’ season opener in Brazil against the Chargers on September 5, Rice will also miss the Super Bowl rematch against the Eagles on September 14 at Arrowhead Stadium; a Sunday night trip to New York to face the Giants; a high-profile matchup with Lamar Jackson and the Ravens on September 28; a game against the Jaguars the following Monday night; and a Sunday night matchup with the Lions.
In his rookie season in 2023, Rice had 79 receptions for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. Last year, he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 4 after tearing the lateral collateral ligament in his right knee. In those four games, he had 24 receptions for 288 yards and two touchdowns.
In an unusual situation, the Chiefs kept eight receivers on their initial 53-man roster: Rice, Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, Nikko Remigio, Jason Brownlee, and rookie Jalen Royals. The Chiefs did this in case Rice accepted a shorter suspension with the league, different from what the NFL initially wanted, which was at least an eight-game ban.
Rice’s status has been in limbo since he drove a Lamborghini Urus SUV at 119 mph on North Central Expressway in Dallas, made “multiple aggressive maneuvers around traffic,” and crashed into other vehicles, according to prosecutors. After the accident, Rice did not check on the well-being of those in the other vehicles, but instead fled on foot.
Last month, Rice said in a statement issued by his lawyer that he has had “many sleepless nights thinking about the damage caused by my actions, and I will continue to work within my possibilities to ensure that all those affected are compensated.”
The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office said Rice will have some flexibility as to when he must serve his time in jail. He was also required to pay the victims’ out-of-pocket medical expenses, which totaled about $115,000.
