One of the biggest question marks left for the Kansas City Chiefs during training camp is what will happen with rising star wide receiver Rashee Rice and his probable pending suspension.
Most everyone expects him to be suspended at some point after he pleaded guilty to a pair of third-degree felony charges stemming from his involvement in a multi-vehicle accident in Texas in 2024, though there's optimism that the suspension won't last longer than 4-6 games.
Based on the latest NFL receiver suspension news, that seems to be a fair assessment, and Rice appears increasingly likely to get somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-4 games.
#Vikings WR Jordan Addison has been suspended without pay for the first 3 games of the 2025 season for violating the NFL’s Substances of Abuse Policy.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 5, 2025
Addison recently resolved a 2024 DUI citation by pleading no contest to a lesser charge. He can participate in preseason. pic.twitter.com/ZoSDHKOJPx
Vikings WR Jordan Addison Gets 3 Game Suspension That Could Set Guideline for Rashee Rice
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison will be suspended for the first three games of the season without pay, but will be allowed to participate in training camp activities and the season.
Addison pleaded no contest to a DUI on the same day that Rice pleaded guilty to his charges and will serve 12 months of probation. It's notable that a key difference in the cases is that Addison was not involved in a crash like Rice was and received a lesser sentence based on the severity of the charges. He won't see jail time, whereas Rice will serve a total of 30 days along with three years of probation.
That said, it's Addison's second driving incident after he was arrested for driving 140 miles per hour. The NFL may have taken that into account, so perhaps it is more representative of Rice's situation than it may feel like. At the least, it's hard to imagine that Rice would get eight games or more if Addison only got three.
Since the court cases were resolved on the same day, it's fair to expect a decision from the NFL soon. Either way, Rice will be back on the field in time for the second half of the year at worst and be available for the playoff run. He's projected to lead the offense in receiving as Patrick Mahomes' No. 1 target, finally back from the injury that sidelined him for most of last season.
Given that the NFL announced Addison's suspension with the note that he can play in the preseason and participate in training camp, it'd be logical for the league to reveal Rice's suspension before Saturday's preseason contest. If part of the punishment is not playing or practicing, it'd be important to know, yet it's far more likely that Rice will still be able to be with the team.
We should know sooner rather than later, but Addison's suspension length is notable for its impact on Rice regardless.