The Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL are aware of new allegations against wide receiver Rashee Rice. He should receive due process, and he hasn’t been charged with any crimes, but his off-field history might force the team to move in a different direction at wide receiver in 2026.
Of all the columns I’ve written throughout my career, there are none I enjoy less than writing about NFL players’ actions away from the game. However, recent social media allegations by his significant other against Rashee Rice have put his future in Kansas City in doubt.
The photos shown on social media paint a very poor picture of Rice. However, we do not know the age of the photos or the circumstances between him and his former girlfriend.
Rice has two children with Dakota Nichole Jones, and reports say they’ve been separated for months. On the field, Rice’s season ended after a concussion during the Chiefs’ home game against the Houston Texans. He was placed on injured reserve, and one has to wonder whether the Chiefs knew of these issues before ending his season.
Generally, concussions resolve within a week or two, but it was notable that he was shut down for the season.
The Chiefs stuck by Rice after his vehicular incident two years ago. They spent significant time assisting in his rehab from major knee surgery and supported the NFL in the six-game suspension the league handed down to start the 2025 regular season.
However, under the plea agreement Rice made with Texas prosecutors, his five-year probation and 30-day jail sentence could be revoked. Again, no charges have been filed, but the outlook isn’t good for Rice.
Kansas City has two options regarding Rice. They can support him again or attempt to trade or release him outright.
If they move on from Rice, who has had off-the-field issues since his playing days at SMU, I could see the justification. If Rice didn’t learn anything from his Speed Racer days, why should the Chiefs support him again?
His departure could prompt the Chiefs to extend Tyquan Thornton, who was arguably the team’s best receiver in 2025. Though the stats aren’t eye-popping, his emergence and the Chiefs’ drafting of Jalen Royals last April appear to indicate they can absorb the loss of Rice.
The Chiefs missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade, and Patrick Mahomes is on the mend from ACL/LCL surgery, so General Manager Brett Veach might have to pivot with the ninth overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Kansas City is in a great spot with so many quarterbacks entering the draft that a stud wide receiver could fall to them. It’s still too early to evaluate the prospect, since the window to declare is open.
Nonetheless, the Chiefs are adjusting their coaching staff, including letting go of wide receivers coach Connor Embree this week. I’m not sure the new Offensive Coordinator, who will likely hire the next set of position coaches, wants to inherit the Rice mess.
The Chiefs’ receiving room is going to change next season. Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and now Rice might not be back in 2026.
Now, Smith-Schuster could come back for one more season, but I think if the Chiefs were bold, he’d be a terrific choice for the team’s new wide receiver coach. He’s been a great teacher to the Chiefs’ young receivers, including Rice, Xavier Worthy, Royals, and Thornton, so it might be worth a conversation.
Whatever happens with Rice, the Chiefs will need to decide about his future prior to the start of free agency in March.
