Rashee Rice should be available for the Kansas City Chiefs when they open the season next Thursday.
NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy addressed the status of Rice during Thursday’s league conference call with reporters.
“We don’t anticipate he’ll be placed on (the) commissioner’s exempt (list) unless there is a material change in the case,” said McCarthy, dismissing any potential snags in Rice being available to start the season.
Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL have made it standard practice to wait until after a legal case has been completed before handing down suspensions. Rice admits that his involvement in the multi-vehicle crash in Dallas earlier in the spring will likely result in a suspension at some point next season.
Rice is still facing eight charges for his involvement in the crash along the Dallas Central Expressway. So, the legal investigations will be ongoing while he’s on the field, but for the immediate future, the Chiefs will have last season’s top receiver. During the 2023 season, Rice finished with 16 games played, eight games started, 79 receptions for 938 yards, and seven touchdowns.