Sep 15, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) warms up against the Cincinnati Bengals prior to a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images
One of the bigger storylines this offseason for the Kansas City Chiefs has been whether wide receiver Rashee Rice will be able to play for the franchise in 2025 or not. Facing eight criminal charges for a six-car crash, Rice has a date to circle on his calendar.
The car crash happened back in March of 2024, as Rice and his former college teammate Theodore Knox have been sued by two victims for millions of dollars in damages. Going close to 120 miles per hour, Rice and Knox lost control of the vehicle, which landed them in this problem.
According to Fox 4 KC, the jury trial is set to take place on Jan. 20, 2026, right before the AFC Championship game. Should the Chiefs make the playoffs this season, Rice’s involvement in the games could be in jeopardy.
While this case largely looms over the head of the wide receiver, the Chiefs have gotten their answer on whether or not he will be able to play during the 2025 campaign. The National Football League has stated it will wait until the legal process concludes before taking any action, therefore, increasing Rice’s full-time playing chances in Kansas City this season.
That being said, by no means does this make the high level of speed on a highway tolerable for any player, or any person outside of the NFL to partake in. Rice has been recovering from an injury that sidelined him for most of last season, and as it stands, Rice is expected to fully participate in the Chiefs’ training camp.
Going into his third season in the league, Rice has shown that he can be a piece of the Chiefs’ wide receiving room puzzle for many seasons that follow his rookie contract status. Before the injury last season, Rice was on pace to be one of the better receivers in the league, hauling in 288 receiving yards in four games.
While many are expecting a breakout season from the returning wide receiver, the trial being held during the playoffs should only increase the Chiefs’ chances of figuring out several ways to use the multitude of receivers they have on the roster, should Rice’s absence be felt late into the season.
