WATCH: Rashee Rice's neighbors line up to bid WR farewell as Chiefs star jets off to Vegas for Super Bowl 58
Rashee Rice is on his way to Super Bowl 58 in his first NFL season with the Chiefs. The young wide receiver has played a pivotal role in helping the team make their second straight appearance in the game. Rice made his way from his Kansas City home en route to the airport for Vegas.
However, he was given a surprise as his neighbors lined up the street with signs wishing him well in the Super Bowl. He posted the video to his Instagram story with hearts showing appreciation for the love he got in the neighborhood.
His quarterback, two-time NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes talked to ESPN about Rice and his rookie season with high praise:
"He's still got a lot he can improve on, which is crazy to say [because] he's had such a great season.
"The little things that NFL receivers do -- he's got the explosiveness, he knows how to run the routes -- but the nuance and the how you run the routes, how you set one route to run up another one ... He listens and he learns as much as he can and tries to take that in. I think that's why he's gotten better and better as the season's gone on."
He was taken by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of last year's NFL Draft out of SMU. Despite veteran wideouts Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore, Rice proved he was NFL-ready this season.
Super Bowl 2024 preview: Exploring Rashee Rice's stats so far this season
This season was a good one for the talented young receiver. Rashee Rice led the team in touchdown receptions with seven and was second to All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce in receptions (79), targets (102) and yards (938).
He was the top wide receiver for quarterback Patrick Mahomes as the receiver room was down this season.
Rashee Rice has three 100-yard receiving games to his name, including 130 yards with a touchdown on eight receptions against the Miami Dolphins in the Wild Card round. It ranks in the top 10 in NFL history for rookie wideouts for yards in a playoff game.