Rashee Rice is facing eight felony charges in connection with a hit-and-run incident earlier this year. The Chiefs wide receiver has run into more trouble. He is now being investigated for an alleged assault.
The investigation centers on Rice allegedly hitting a photographer Monday night a Dallas nightclub, WFAA’s Rebecca Lopez, Rachel Snyder and Joe Trahan report. Police are interviewing witnesses about the alleged assault.
Rice, 24, is likely to face an NFL suspension — which presently is the least of his concerns, given the charges from the March hit-and-run development — for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. It is not known if a ban will come down in 2024, but a suspension at some point is expected. Another incident will add to the second-year wide receiver’s distractions and potentially tack on suspension time or introduce a second ban that comes at a separate point.
A 2023 second-round pick, Rice did well to bail the Chiefs out from an ill-conceived wide receiver plan last season. Becoming a consistent presence during season’s second half, the SMU product totaled 79 receptions for 938 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie. Rice remained a reliable target for Patrick Mahomes — during a season in which few of those were present — in the playoffs. The two-time reigning Super Bowl champs have since made major updates to their receiving corps. The Chiefs signed Marquise Brown and traded up for Xavier Worthy in Round 1. Rice, however, is expected to remain a key part of Kansas City’s passing attack.
Rice was believed to be street racing in a Lamborghini SUV, helping to cause a six-car accident on a Dallas highway in March. Rice’s vehicle reached 119 mph just before the crash, and the young wideout fled the scene. Rice later turned himself in, and a civil suit has since emerged. The 6-foot-2, 203-pound receiver did not show for the start of the Chiefs’ offseason program but took part in meetings virtually.
From Kareem Hunt to Tyreek Hill to Frank Clark, the Chiefs have seen a number of high-profile players run into off-field trouble in recent years. Charles Omenihu began his Kansas City tenure with a six-game suspension stemming from a domestic violence arrest. Clark and Hunt also served suspensions, the latter’s ban coming after the Chiefs waived him. This latest Rice development will certainly be a storyline to monitor for the defending champions.
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