Wide receiver Rashee Rice took a contemplative approach to his media comments in his first week back in pre-game action for the Kansas City Chiefs, and Rice says he’s learned a lot after his six-game suspension. His comments were focused on the football side in a story written by Jesse Newell of The Athletic. 

“Not only do I love the game of football, but I was able to realize how strong I am mentally,” Rice said, “being able to face a lot of adversity at the time.” 

The suspension came after Rice, 25, was sentenced in July to five years of probation and 30 days in jail after pleading guilty to a pair of third-degree felony charges. Police reports indicate that Rice was clocked at 119 mph in a Lamborghini Urus just before the vehicle crashed and caused a chain-reaction collision on a Dallas highway, and Rice then fled the scene on foot without checking on the other victims. 

Rice expressed remorse after the accident, and he agreed to pay restitution to all of the victims for their out-of-pocket medical expenses, which amounted to just over $115,000. 

“Honestly, it was a decision that was best for not only me, but for the team, so I can be here right now,” Rice said when asked about the sentence and suspension. “And that decision … all that’s over. So I’m ready.”

Rice says he’s fully recovered from the 2024 knee injury that ended his season in Week 4, and he’s been training diligently while being allowed to attend team meetings with the Chiefs. 

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has held down the fort without Rice and fellow wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who’s finally back after struggling with a shoulder injury, and now he can add Rice to the receiving equation. 

“He’s unique because of his size and ability after the catch to play physical,” Reid said of Rice.

Coach Andy Reid has watched Rice in practice this week, and he thinks the receiver’s return to form won’t take long,

"He looked sharp," Reid said of Rice in a story written by Nate Taylor of ESPN. "It's not a game, but what we asked him to do, he did well. You can tell he's in good shape. That's always your worry when someone misses a few weeks because it's different when you're playing. But he busted his tail, so now it's just a matter of getting in a game and getting reps. We'll see how all that goes."