It's been more than a year since Rashee Rice took the field at Arrowhead for a regular-season appearance. Between a devastating injury and lengthy suspension, the Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver has been forced to watch his teammates from the sidelines for more than half of his NFL career so far.
Suffice it to say, Rice is quite ready to get back on the field.
Rice looked like a superstar-in-the-making before his injury in Week 4 of the 2024 campaign, and the good news for the Chiefs is that the third-year wideout looked just as effective in preseason play. After sitting out the first six games of the year as punishment for his involvement in a reckless driving incident and multi-vehicle crash in April, 2024, Rice is anxious to rejoin the team and help reach the league's summit once again.
As good as Rice looked in the preseason, it can be hard to return after missing actual games for another month and a half. Head coach Andy Reid had good news for Chiefs Kingdom on that front, however. During his press conference to end the week of preparation for Week 7, Reid said Rice "looks sharp" in practice.
The Chiefs wide receiver looks "sharp" in practice and is very excited to return to the field for the first time in more than a year.
"It’s not a game, but what we asked him to do, he did well. One thing is, you can tell he’s in good shape. That’s always your worry when somebody misses a few weeks, because it’s different when you’re playing. But he busted his tail and did a nice job there. Now it’s just a matter of getting in the game and getting reps there."
Rice himself admitted that the upcoming game against the Las Vegas Raiders at home is "really big." He spoke to reporters after Reid gave his introductory remarks and injury updates. Rice said, "It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to play in a regular-season game with my guys, so I’m excited to get out there, to go out there and compete."
Rice also spoke about the personal lessons learned after having sat for so long. The former second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft hasn't played since September 29, 2024, a 17-10 win for the Chiefs over the L.A. Chargers in which Patrick Mahomes awkwardly fell on Rice's knee, causing him to leave the game and hit injured reserve.
"I learned that I love the game of football," said Rice. "Probably my second love right there. Not only do I love the game of football, but I was able to realize how strong I am mentally by being able to face a lot of adversity at the time."
Rice was enjoying a sensational start to his second season a year ago with 24 catches for 288 yards and 2 scores in his first three games. Reid admitted that he's not sure if Rice will get a full workload to start his year—that much remains to be seen—but as a trusted target of Mahomes, Rice should expect plenty of work once he's ready.