Chiefs Get Huge Update on NFL's Rashee Rice Investigation
By Joe Summers
The Chiefs suddenly received a huge update on second-year WR Rashee Rice's ongoing legal saga, as the NFL announced on Thursday that Rice would not be placed on the commissioner's exempt list to start the year.
Rice will suit up and play until his legal process plays out, following what Roger Goodell laid out in his initial comments earlier this summer.
It's expected that Rice will eventually be suspended, though it looks far more likely that any punishment will come in the 2025 season and not this year.
Chiefs News: WR Rashee Rice Not Placed on Commissioner's Exempt List
The NFL is not expected to put Rashee Rice on paid leave via placement on the commissioner’s exempt list. The league is expected to make a decision about a possible suspension of Rice once the legal process plays out, source says, leaving him eligible to play in the meantime.
— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) August 28, 2024
With a Week 1 matchup agains the Baltimore Ravens just seven days away, it makes sense for the league to hold off on any suspension. If Rice was going to be punished to start the season, that announcement would've come weeks ago.
Instead, Goodell and the NFL are content to wait for the legal proceedings before making an ultimate decision.
That's great news for the Chiefs, who need Rice as they try to take control of the AFC en route to a potential three-peat. Rice became the team's best wide receiver in his rookie campaign, catching 79 passes for 938 yards and seven TDs.
Expectations are that Rice will still face punishment for his involvement in the Dallas car crash in March. However, he's cleared to play in 2024 thus far and should be in the lineup for the whole season barring a surprise.
Given Hollywood Brown's injury and the influx of new pass-catchers on the team, Rice should continue to lead the receivers in production as one of the most important members of the offense.
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