Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice has been suspended for six games by the NFL following his involvement in a March 2024 multi-car crash in Dallas. The ruling, which cannot be appealed, sidelines the 25-year-old for the start of the 2025 season. It directly follows his guilty plea to felony charges connected to the incident.
Rashee Rice faces NFL ban for a reason
The NFL has handed Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice a six-game suspension after his 2024 car crash. The league determined that he breached the league’s personal conduct policy.
The penalty is directly connected to his conviction from a March 2024 multi-vehicle crash in Dallas that left several people injured. During the 2024 offseason, Rice was involved in a street race on a Dallas highway. Investigators determined that Rice was behind the wheel of a Lamborghini traveling at 119 mph while allegedly street racing a Corvette driven by Teddy Knox. The reckless driving triggered a chain-reaction crash that damaged three other vehicles.
The police report noted that the two drivers left the area without helping others, despite several people being hurt in the wreck. At least four individuals required medical attention. Nine days after the crash, Rice turned himself in and was booked on eight separate charges.
Rice admitted guilt to two third-degree felony charges and accepted deferred adjudication in exchange for avoiding active jail time, though a 30-day sentence was included as part of the probation terms. According to the league, the suspension is final, cannot be appealed, and prevents him from practicing with the Chiefs during the ban period. (via BBC)
As a result, Rice will be absent for Kansas City’s season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers on September 5. His return is scheduled for Week 7, when the Chiefs face the Las Vegas Raiders on October 19.
Initially, league officials considered sidelining Rice for more than half the season. However, a compromise was reached with the NFL Players Association before a disciplinary hearing set for September 30.
