It took only a few seconds of practice footage to reframe the Kansas City Chiefs’ wide receiver picture.

On Tuesday, a team-shared clip on X highlighted Rashee Rice separating from cornerback Nazeeh Johnson cleanly on a route in an 11-on-11, a sight that landed differently given his recent groin tweak and last season’s knee surgery.

The groin setback surfaced last Wednesday when Rice did not participate in practice, working off to the side with trainers. The team characterized the injury as minor and precautionary at the time, with Rice being held out of the first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals on August 9.

Thankfully, Rice returned to work on Monday at camp in St. Joseph, easing concerns and fueling optimism among Chiefs faithful.

Rashee Rice’s Knee Injury, Recovery Timeline and Looming NFL Suspension

Following a rookie season in which Rice totalled seven touchdowns and 938 yards on 79 receptions (11.9 yards per catch), expectations for Rice were very high coming into last season.

Through the first four games of the campaign, Rice lived up to the hype, putting up 288 yards and two touchdowns on just 24 catches (12.0 yards per catch), including a 103-yard outing on opening night and a 110-yard, one-touchdown performance just two weeks later.

Unfortunately, his season ended early in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers when quarterback Patrick Mahomes dove to make a tackle and inadvertently collided with Rice’s right knee, leading to a torn LCL that would require season-ending surgery.

To make matters worse, Rice is also awaiting a possible suspension from the NFL (likely anywhere from two to six games) after pleading guilty in July to two third-degree felonies stemming from a multi-vehicle crash in March 2024.

Reports through the spring hinted that Rice was back to full strength and this latest highlight shows that both last year’s injury (and the recent groin setback) appear to be well behind him.