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The Chiefs’ offense will lean on WR Rashee Rice in his third NFL season.
Last season, the Kansas City Chiefs learned the hard way that injuries are inevitable and it takes some good fortune to avoid them piling up. Although the club reached Super Bowl LIX, part of the reason they lost was they missed key players like wide receiver Rashee Rice.
Rice, now on the other side of a serious knee injury, was a full participant throughout the offseason program but gave the team a brief scare late in training camp. The former second-round pick suffered a groin injury, which was revealed on August 6. Fortunately for the reigning AFC champions, it appears a serious situation was avoided.
After a brief absence (and the Chiefs’ first preseason game), Rice returned to practice on Monday.
Rashee Rice Returns to Chiefs Training Camp Practice
Practice was designed to be light. With that said, it’s good news either way that Rice is back. Groin injuries are tricky and can linger for weeks. The Chiefs need Rice at camp, so him only sitting out for a handful of days is a win.
It’s been a busy year-plus for Rice. He seemed destined for a breakout last season, hauling in 24 passes for 288 yards in the Chiefs’ first three games. His knee injury occurred in Week 4, however, ending his sophomore campaign. In July, the SMU product was sentenced to five years of probation and 30 days of jail time stemming from a 2024 multi-vehicle accident.
Speaking to the media last month, Rice expressed his gratitude for being able to move past the situation.
“Just how valuable any opportunity is and any moment is,” Rice said. “This right here, us being able to be on the field and be able to be coached by coach [Andy] Reid and have such a great quarterback is honestly a gift. It’s a blessing. Honestly, to not take advantage of opportunities like this.”
On July 19, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk discussed what a potential suspension timeline might look like.
“Given that Rice seems to be willing (as he should be) to accept the consequences of his behavior, he should be willing to accept whatever suspension the league wants,” Florio said. “Our guess (and it’s just a guess) is that the league will propose 10, Rice will propose six, and they’ll settle on eight.”
Without Rice for their opener, the Chiefs relied on several other pieces. Second-year man Jason Brownlee (one-yard touchdown) and rookie Jalen Royals (3 catches for 14 yards) stood out. Tight end Robert Tonyan (3 receptions, 49 yards) was the club’s best pass catcher.
Other Kansas City Training Camp Injury News
Speaking after Monday’s practice, head coach Andy Reid provided more injury updates.
“As far as injuries go, [Jake] Briningstool did not practice today,” Reid began. “Hollywood [Brown] didn’t practice. Deon Bush had an Achilles tendon rupture; we’ll get that fixed. [Ethan] Driskell had an appendectomy — he got it fixed, so we’re doing good there. Janarius Robinson ended up having a foot fracture, right on his little toe there. Jaylen Watson had a concussion.”
Reid then elaborated on Brown’s injury, specifically.
“It’s not really a high-ankle sprain,” Reid said. “It’s more ankle-foot area. He’s making great progress, though. He’s running now a little bit, so that’s a positive. I don’t think he’s too far off, but we’ll see. He’s doing good.”
Brown, a 2024 (and 2025) offseason pickup, missed most of last year with a sternoclavicular injury. He’s sat out of several practices in a row with this ailment, so it’s good news that he’s on the road to recovery.
Elsewhere, Reid alluded to Bush’s Achilles injury following Saturday’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals. It’s a brutal blow for one of special teams coordinator Dave Toub’s trusted options. He and Watson both had to leave the debut preseason outing with their respective injuries. Bush’s was a non-contact play that led to an on-site medical cart taking him back to the locker room.
With just a couple of training camp practices left, the Chiefs will focus on getting and staying as healthy as possible.
Jordan Foote is a seasoned sports writer who covers the NFL for Heavy.com with an emphasis on the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers. He has years of experience publishing NFL and MLB content for Sports Illustrated’s On SI vertical, in addition to a background in NBA coverage for multiple outlets. Foote is a Baker University alumnus, earning his degree in Mass Media. He’s based in Kansas City. More about Jordan Foote
