At this point, Kansas City Chiefs fans probably don’t want to hear any updates on Rashee Rice other than a definitive answer about his suspension. This situation has been drawn out for far too long, and a resolution, one way or the other, is overdue.
So in a sense, the latest update might seem like good news, because it does get us closer to that point. And the way Adam Schefter spins it seems to be trying to paint a positive. But at the end of the day, it’s not an update Chiefs fans should be happy about.
ESPN sources: Chiefs WR Rashee Rice is expected to have his disciplinary hearing with the NFL on Tuesday, Sept 30 in New York. This means that Rice now is likely to be able to play the first four weeks of this season before any potential discipline is imposed for his role in a… pic.twitter.com/nC37poNfEb
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1956004557860819086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Rashee Rice Potential Suspension Update Paints Frustrating Picture for Timing
Schefter reports that Rice’s discipline hearing with the NFL is set for Tuesday, Sept. 30. Waiting another six weeks for the hearing, meaning another six weeks of reports, speculation and drama, is already frustrating. But Schefter’s point about Rice being able to play the first four games of the season isn’t good news either.
Rice has been a full participant in training camp, so he doesn’t really need those first four weeks to get back up to speed after recovering from his season-ending injury from last year. All this four-game stretch of playing will do is push a potential suspension back into a more crucial part of the schedule.
Now, if Rice were certain to only get a three-game suspension like the Jordan Addison news seemed to hint at, this would be ideal timing. It would mean the Chiefs get Rice through a tough stretch of schedule to open the season (on the road against the Chargers in Week 1, hosting the Eagles in Week 2 and Ravens in Week 4).
But this update, that Rice is having a disciplinary hearing, opens the door for a much larger suspension. If we were to go full “the sky is falling” on this, there’s room to worry about him getting something like 8 games. And even if we’re just looking at four or five, the benefit of having him for those tough early matchups gets cancelled out by a stretch that includes games against the Lions, Commanders and Bills.
With Rice on the shelf, the pressure on Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown to live up to the hype they had when they became Chiefs will be cranked up significantly, and rookie Jalen Royals will need to be an early difference-maker. If not, we’re looking at hoping JuJu Smith-Schuster can turn back the clock.
Fans have nothing to worry about with Rice’s health, but this potential suspension situation just got a whole lot more concerning.
