The Kansas City Chiefs are ready for life without their top receiver, as Rashee Rice’s injury will change their offense for the foreseeable future.
It was revealed late Monday night that Rice’s knee injury wasn’t as severe as initially thought. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Kansas City wide receiver won’t likely play again this season.
Rice underwent the needed surgery on Tuesday, and it was confirmed that his LCL was the only ligament that needed to be repaired, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. He is expected to make a full recovery.
The initial belief was that Rice had a torn ACL or MCL, but he seemingly avoided significant career-threatening injury, making a return next season without delay a reasonable scenario. The Chiefs are featuring multiple receivers in his place, and there are rumors that the team is potentially seeking a player by the trade deadline.
The second-year standout was placed on injured reserve after injuring the knee during the first quarter of Kansas City’s Week 4 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. He led the team with 24 receptions for 288 yards and two touchdowns before the injury.