Rashee Rice Cleared for Chiefs Camp as SMU Star Starts Comeback

DALLAS - Rashee Rice is officially back in the Kansas City Chiefs’ football plans, and the former SMU star is walking into training camp with far more at stake than a spot on the depth chart.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid announced Friday that Rice has been medically cleared following a May procedure to clean up his right knee.

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Kansas City won’t simply turn him loose without supervision, but Reid’s message was unmistakably positive: “We’ll keep an eye on him, but he’s cleared to go.”

That’s a significant development for an offense that knows exactly how disruptive Rice can be when he’s healthy.

The 26-year-old caught 53 passes for 571 yards and five touchdowns in only eight games during the 2025 season.

Through 28 career regular-season appearances, he has 156 receptions, 1,797 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Those aren’t decorative numbers. Rice has already shown he can become a high-volume security blanket for Kansas City, particularly when the Chiefs need quick separation and yards after the catch.

SMU fans saw the blueprint before the NFL did.

Rice exploded for 96 receptions, a school-record 1,355 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns during his senior season in Dallas.

He led the FBS with 112.9 receiving yards per game, earned second-team AP All-America recognition and turned himself into the No. 55 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Now comes the uncomfortable part.

Rice’s return follows a turbulent offseason that included knee surgery and a 30-day jail sentence after a positive THC test violated his probation.

He was released from Dallas County Jail on June 16. That history won’t disappear because he can run routes again, and medical clearance shouldn’t be confused with a clean slate.

This camp is about availability, accountability and whether Rice can finally deliver stability alongside his obvious talent.

Reid said Rice remained committed to his rehabilitation, noting that the receiver had been around the organization and had “done a great job rehabbing.”

That gives Kansas City reason for optimism, but the Chiefs will need more than encouraging summer updates. They need Rice healthy, dependable and focused when the games begin.

The former Mustang has already proven he belongs on an NFL field. His rookie year included Chiefs records for receptions and receiving touchdowns, followed by a postseason run featuring 26 catches for 262 yards.

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The next step is harder.

Rice doesn’t need another flashy comeback story. He needs a quiet, productive camp—and a season that finally lets his football speak louder than everything surrounding it.