Rashee Rice: ‘I’ve got the right group of guys around me’

On Tuesday, fans of the Kansas City Chiefs finally heard from the most controversial player at the team’s training camp at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.

Wide receiver Rashee Rice missed most of the offseason program after a parole violation accelerated a jail sentence. This summer, Rice was ordered to serve 30 days in jail as part of a 2025 plea deal for a 2024 street-racing-related car crash in Dallas.

Originally, Rice was able to serve the jail time at his own discretion during the five-year probation period. After reportedly testing positive for THC, however, the Dallas County court ordered him to report to jail immediately.

Rice was short on words in his description of the month and the lessons learned.

“A learning experience and a reality check,” he remarked. “Don’t focus on the past. Focus on what’s going on now.”

His focus has also turned to a more limited group of influences around him and improved mental health.

“I’m doing good mentally,” Rice assessed. “I’ve got the right group of guys around me. Good agents. Good coaches. Small circle on anybody else outside that’s not part of the football team. Just keeping my head straight and also keeping me in a positive attitude.”

The jail time was not the only limiting factor in Rice’s offseason. As we learned of his imminent incarceration, we also learned that the wideout underwent a knee cleanup procedure. Previously, Rice suffered a torn LCL in 2023 that robbed him of much of his second season.

After leaving practice early to work with trainers in the first two weeks of camp, Rice is now participating more fully in team periods.

He did not realize the procedure was needed until late in the spring.

“Honestly, I thought it was probably just a little bit of swelling,” Rice explained. “I didn’t know it was something that needed to have surgery. We’re kind of taught to just keep going until you can’t anymore. It was a perfect time for me to get it cleaned up so it wouldn’t affect me for the season. I was ready to go, regardless.”

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As he ramped up his knee rehab following his release, Rice found motivation working alongside quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes has spent his offseason recovering from a major knee injury suffered in December.

“The best part about it was being there with Pat,” Rice revealed. “Knowing that he had a more serious surgery and how hard he was working just kind of motivated me. Then, he’s pulling the craziest cars every day, so he’s my motivation every morning.”

Through three seasons, Rice has teased game-breaking talent while also finding himself unavailable both due to injuries and a league suspension to open the 2025 season. Rice was asked to describe what he brings to a team beneath the surface of troubling headlines.

“I would say I’m a positive guy,” he offered. “I’m a great person to feed off of as far as energy. A smiling guy, mostly at all times. Unless it’s time for work, [then] I’m serious. Then, I’m a father. I take the most responsibility in being a good father to my boys.”

That serious work now finds the wide receiver room under stricter management from the coaching staff. Rice now plays under veteran receivers coach Chad O’Shea and longtime Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, returning to Kansas City after a three-year absence.

When he has been available, Rice has often commanded a disproportionate target share in the passing offense. Under Bieniemy and O’Shea, he has been working on what he can do to help his teammates, even if he knows a called play is not coming to him.

He expects big things from the wide receiver room he shares with Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton and rookie Cyrus Allen.

“We’re going to do some amazing things,” Rice predicted. “Not only because we’re great receivers, but because we’ve got a good coaching staff around us as well as a great quarterback and a foundation in general.”

That foundation has Rice in a good place after a dreadful offseason.

“I’m 100% locked in on what’s going on now with the team,” Rice declared. “I’m ready to go out there and dominate. I’ve got a good brotherhood behind me.”