Rashee Rice knows almost to the day how long it’s been since he played in a game for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Two more days until he does it again.
Their top wide receiver has missed the first six games of this season while serving an NFL suspension for violating its personal-conduct policy, the punishment handed down for his role in a high-speed car crash in Dallas in March 2024. And he missed most of last season after tearing his ACL in Week 4, when Patrick Mahomes collided with him following an interception.
“I’ve been looking forward to this,” Rice said Friday, following a final practice for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders. “I think it’s been 380-something days since I have played in a regular-season game. I mean, it’s been a long time coming. The time is finally here.”
Rice recovered sufficiently from his knee injury in time to participate in the Chiefs’ offseason program, and he was able to take part in all of training camp. But once the season began, Rice had to remain away from the team, a punishment he agreed to when all parties decided it was in his best interest to get the six-game suspension out of the way.
Rice said he spent most of the time away in Florida, where the heat and humidity helped him stay in shape. He would work out Monday through Friday, then do another workout Sunday, as he tried to replicate what a typical game week is like.
The games themselves, Rice said, he would watch with family members. Kansas City lost its first two but has since won three of four, including a dominant victory last week over the Detroit Lions, widely considered a Super Bowl contender.
“I mean, the best thing for me is to be around the guys,” Rice said. ” I got leaders in each room, even on defense, that help me on and off the field. That’s the best part about being on a team like this. You have everybody to support you.”
Rice pleaded guilty to two felony charges for the wreck, including “collision involving serious bodily injury” and “racing on a highway causing bodily injury.” The district attorney’s office in Dallas said that Rice paid more than $115,000 in restitution to the victims, and his 30-day jail sentence can be served at any point during his five years of probation.
Rice declined Friday to discuss any of the legal issues he has faced, preferring to instead talk solely about football.
“I learned that I love the game of football,” he replied, when asked what he had learned over the past year-plus. “I was able to realize how strong I am mentally, being able to face a lot of adversity.”
Chiefs coach Andy Reid wouldn’t say whether Rice would be on a snap count in his first game since Sept. 29, 2024, when he got hurt against the Los Angeles Chargers. But with a WR corps that includes Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Chiefs are in the enviable position of not having to rush Rice back into the mix.
“I’m sure he’s excited to play,” Reid said. “He hasn’t played a real game for a year and six weeks. I’m just going to watch it in the game. He knows everything. How many reps he gets — I’m sure it won’t be every rep. We’ll just see how he does.”
Meanwhile, Chiefs left tackle Josh Simmons remained away from practice Friday for what Reid called “personal reasons,” leaving Jaylon Moore in line to start his second consecutive game. Simmons, the Chiefs’ first-round pick in April, was a late scratch from last week’s game against Detroit, and Moore stepped in on short notice and did an admirable job.
“I know the work that Jaylon has put in,” Mahomes said. “He’s been professional every single day. He’s done his job and done it well, and having those reps in training camp and OTAs, I know he’s going to go out there and battle.
“You’ve seen it now. He’s a starting tackle in this league and can go out there and compete against anybody.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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