Rashee Rice Kansas City Chiefs 


Jul 26, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) walks down the hill from the locker room to the fields prior to training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

 

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice had some positive news for his recovery from a knee injury he suffered against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4. There were fears Rice’s season could be over due to issues with his ACL and MCL.

Rashee Rice had surgery on Tuesday

Sep 29, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesSep 29, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
On Tuesday, Rice had surgery to repair his LCL. The belief before his surgery was that the second-year receiver would not return for the rest of the season.

Because of potential complications with his ACL and MCL, it was unclear what Rice’s timeline to return to play again would be. It was possible an ACL injury could have kept Rice out of offseason workouts, training camp, and the start of the 2025 season.

Good news for the Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver

Kansas City Chiefs, Rashee RiceSep 15, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) takes the field prior to a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

According to Ian Rapoport with the NFL Network, Rice has good news following a successful surgery on Tuesday to repair his LCL. Rice is still expected to miss the rest of the season while he recovers from surgery.

“Good news for Rashee Rice following surgery, as the ACL, meniscus, and MCL didn’t need to be repaired,” Rapoport wrote.

 

Where do the Chiefs go from here?

Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, US; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) against the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsFeb 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, US; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) against the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The SMU standout was quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ top target to start the 2024 season. Rice had 24 receptions for 288 yards and two touchdowns in his first three games.

The 2023 second-round pick was expected to carry the receiver corps, with Marquise Brown expected to miss most, if not all, of the regular season due to a shoulder injury he suffered in the preseason.

Veteran receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster had a big night on Monday for the Chiefs in Rice’s absence. He caught seven passes for 130 yards in Kansas City’s 26-13 win over the Saints.

The Chiefs are 5-0 heading into their Bye in Week 6. With Rice and Brown out, one would expect Kansas City to be aggressive in the trade market for a wide receiver before the trade deadline on Nov. 5.