The ongoing police investigation in Dallas surrounding the car accident involving Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice continues to get national attention. The incident has affected Kansas City’s mindset heading into the 2024 NFL draft and forced Commissioner Roger Goodell to make his first public comments.
“Well, first, we allowed the legal process to move through,” Goodell said during his opening interview Thursday with ESPN’s Mike Greenberg at the first round of the draft. “We obviously are following it closely, and as soon as they’re done with the process, we will be engaged and be prepared to look at that under all of our personal contact policies.”
Goodell’s response aligns with the league’s protocol, which includes waiting for the legal process to play before deciding on a player’s potential punishment. The topic is serious, and whether or not Rice’s immediate future is in doubt, Kansas City drafted WR Xavier Worthy in the first round later that night.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke with the media late Thursday night, emphasizing his plans to have Worthy and Rice be fixtures in the offense. Rice, a former SMU star, continues working out with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes while the investigation continues.
Rice faces eight felony charges in the March 30 accident. According to police, he was driving a Lamborghini at high speed and caused an accident that injured multiple people.