Rashee Rice car accident case receives major breather ahead of 2024 season
Rashee Rice won the Super Bowl in his rookie season, but the following offseason has been far from ideal. The Kansas City Chiefs star was involved in a multi-car accident in Dallas, and a lawsuit was filed against him.
Rice was allegedly involved in another incident at a nightclub in Dallas in which he was named as a suspect in an assault case. The victim was a photographer who reportedly was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Rice was anticipated to face a suspension from the NFL due to the car accident in Dallas. But, since a new trial date for the civil lawsuit filed against Rice has been set for 2025, it's not expected that the NFL will take any action against him this year.
Brian McCarthy, who works at the NFL office, said this about the SMU product's situation via Ian Rapoport:
"We don’t anticipate he’ll be placed on commissioner’s exempt unless there is a material change in the case.”
Also Read: Rashee Rice assault: Report uncovers turn of events that led to Chiefs WR throwing a punch
Rashee Rice played a huge part in the Chiefs' Super Bowl-winning campaign last season, and having him on the field is crucial for the AFC West franchise. Hopefully, the 24-year-old player will learn from this past offseason and avoid putting himself in such situations again.
Rashee Rice is projected to have another big season for Chiefs
The Chiefs drafted Rashee Rice with the 55th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. After an impressive rookie season, he will be the team's WR1 despite the addition of Marquise Brown and Xavier Worthy.
In 16 games last season, Rice had 79 catches for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. During the playoffs, he had 26 catches for 262 yards and one touchdown in four games.
With the addition of Worthy and Brown, Rice will have more opportunities to make big plays for his team. It wouldn't be a surprise if he gets 1,000 receiving yards this upcoming season, as the Chiefs have improved their offense.
Rice is unlikely to receive a suspension this year, but he will undoubtedly miss games next year. As a result, to keep his stock up, he needs to have a big season for the reigning Super Bowl champions.