Things went south for Rashee Rice in slow motion. What started as a joyride through the streets of Dallas back in March turned into a high-speed wreck—literally and figuratively. Prosecutors said Rice drove a Lamborghini SUV at 119 mph, which led to a pileup, and then he fled. The legal part is done—five years’ probation, 30 days in jail, and a hefty $115,000 in restitution. But with the NFL still sharpening its hammer, the Chiefs are bracing for the real punishment.
Naturally, Rice tried to own up to it. His public apology—“I’ve had a lot of sleepless nights thinking about the damage my actions caused”—sounded sincere. Still, forgiveness doesn’t always mean forgetting. According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, “There is no doubt about it, he will be suspended by the NFL. Now, it’s just a matter of games.” The typical baseline for conduct violations sits around six games. But Jones didn’t stop there. “The rate of speed—almost 40 miles per hour over the limit—leaving the scene, and that being documented on video… that will hurt Rashee Rice.” His guess? “Between five and seven games.”
Even so, not everyone’s writing him off. Former Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu is keeping the faith. In fact, he doubled down on Rice’s potential, saying, “I think a lot of people forget about Rashee Rice. Like I think he’s going to be one of the 10 best, you know, wide receivers, you know, in our league for the next 10 years… I think they’ll be just fine going forward.” That’s no light praise coming from a former Super Bowl champ.
Yet the NFL’s still playing it cool. A spokesperson told ESPN’s Adam Schefter they’re “closely monitoring all developments” and called the case “under review.” So for now, Rice is practicing like business as usual. But once Week 1 hits, The Kingdom could be missing one of its biggest playmakers.
“He has a legit chance to be one of the greatest QBs ever… I think a lot of people forget about Rashee Rice…He’s going to be one of the best 10 wide receivers in the league for the next 10 years.”@Mathieu_Era explains why Mahomes & the Chiefs have a chance to bounce back: pic.twitter.com/PolVMHA823
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) July 24, 2025
Still, Andy Reid is staying steady. His plan? Keep Rice rolling through reps while prepping the rest of the locker room. And Chief’s biggest star is also giving up on Rice.
Patrick Mahomes still has hope in Rashee Rice
To start camp with a storm cloud already hanging over the wide receiver room wasn’t how the Kingdom drew it up. But Rashee Rice’s situation has done exactly that. Between the legal mess and NFL scrutiny, the tone from Patrick Mahomes said a lot without saying much. “He had a good first day today. He’ll continue to evolve his game.” That’s not a dismissal, but it’s not Mahomes’ usual full-throttle backing either. The hope’s still there—but it’s cautious.
Still, it’s hard to ignore what Rice did last season. As a rookie, the kid lit up Arrowhead—938 yards, seven touchdowns, and an NFL playoff record for rookie catches. But the momentum came to a hard stop in Week 4, when a mid-route collision with Mahomes wrecked his LCL and hamstring.
He missed the rest of the year, and while the Chiefs still marched to Super Bowl LIX, Rice’s is under a new problem. And now, with a possible five-to-seven game suspension on deck, he’s allowed to practice, but everyone’s just waiting for the league’s hammer to fall.
Even so, Mahomes and Andy Reid are moving ahead. Reid summed it up best: “We’re going to progress as normal with him.” Because until the NFL says otherwise, the Chiefs are keeping Rice in the mix. For now, the plan in the City of Fountains is simple—stay ready, stay steady, and let the league make the next move.
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