Rashee Rice’s second season in the NFL is shaping up to be just as newsworthy off the field as it is on it – though not for the reasons the Kansas City Chiefs would hope.

We’ve seen what Rice can do when he’s dialed in. His 938-yard rookie campaign showed flashes of a wideout who could become one of Patrick Mahomes’ most dangerous weapons.

Big catch radius, physical at the point of attack, and a knack for making plays in space – Rice looked the part. But as the 2025 season looms, the bigger story surrounding him involves lingering legal troubles and the NFL’s response to them.

On Friday, reports emerged that the league is proposing a suspension that would sideline Rice for more than half of the 2025 season. That’s no small penalty, and it’s tied to Rice’s involvement in a street racing incident earlier this year that resulted in a serious crash.

Here’s where things stand: Rice pleaded guilty to two felony counts – one for a crash involving serious bodily injury and another for racing on a highway that caused injury. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, five years of probation, and is responsible for the victims’ medical expenses. He’s reached settlements with two of the three victims, but he’s still facing an ongoing civil lawsuit from the third.

The NFL hasn’t handed down the official discipline yet, but reportedly aims to reach an agreement with Rice before a disciplinary meeting scheduled for September 30. The league’s stance is clear in its proposed suspension length, but both sides are apparently looking for a resolution that could soften the fallout.

Despite the looming disciplinary action, the Chiefs confirmed that Rice has been cleared to travel with the team for their Week 1 opener – a primetime matchup against the Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil. That indicates he’s still in the team’s plans, at least in the short term, and that Rice has received the necessary clearance to enter Brazil following his guilty plea.

Still, the timing and optics of the league’s handling are under a microscope. Critics argue that the delay in discipline – especially with a plea and sentencing already wrapped up – raises questions.

The league has been down this road before. Mishandled cases in the past, most notably during the 2010s, did serious damage to the league’s public trust, particularly in matters related to off-field misconduct.

Now, with Rice’s situation lingering into the start of a high-profile season in which the Chiefs play six nationally featured games right out of the gate, scrutiny is only intensifying. Comparisons have surfaced to other disciplinary examples, such as Jordan Addison of the Minnesota Vikings. Addison served a three-game suspension after settling a DUI case, and critics are wondering why Rice’s case is moving more slowly despite being more serious in nature and already resolved in court.

Bottom line: The NFL has a decision to make, and whatever it is, fans, media, and critics alike are watching closely. For Rashee Rice, the hope has to be to settle matters off the field as quickly as possible so that his on-field potential – which is undeniable – can again be the primary talking point.

But that path back won’t be easy. A long suspension remains on the table, and with September 30 circled on the calendar, the clock is ticking for the league, the Chiefs, and Rice himself.