Rashee Rice has shown flashes of superstardom at the wide receiver position in the first three seasons of his NFL career. However, these flashes have been combined with limited availability.
Rice has battled off-field issues and injuries and must prove he is an option the Kansas City Chiefs can rely on before they commit to him financially for the long term.
Leonard Fournette Sends a Message to Rashee Rice after Latest Off-Field Incident
Rice reportedly tested positive for marijuana, which was a violation of his probation, and now has to spend 30 days in jail. The news comes after the Chiefs star has already had numerous other off-field incidents, including the hit-and-run that resulted in him being on probation, and an investigation into allegedly punching a photographer at a club in Dallas. Still, Rice was not arrested and faced no charges for this second incident.
Rice already served a six-game suspension last season for the hit-and-run incident, but additional negative press will not sit well with the NFL or the Chiefs.
“They only gonna tolerate you for so long,” said Super Bowl champion running back Leonard Fournette about Rice on the “4th And South w/ Jarvis Landry & Leonard Fournette” podcast.
“Who the hell you hanging around? Your a** needs to be with Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes 24/7,” Fournette added. “You have the guys that got the damn blueprint, and you just f**king it off.”
Rice ranked as the No. 16 wide receiver in PFSN’s Wide Receiver Impact Metric (WRi) in 2025, catching 53 of 78 targets for 571 yards and five touchdowns.
The 26-year-old wide receiver has shown an ability to make plays at the NFL level while being the favorite target of Mahomes. Unfortunately, he has continued to make choices off the field that have raised doubts about whether he will be a piece of their offense, or the NFL in general, for that matter, long term.
“Why are you steadily putting yourself in situations that could possibly lead to you not getting another big contract?” Fournette asked. “Get your s**t together… the yes men around you have to go.”
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The other issue with Rice securing a lucrative long-term contract is that, in addition to legal issues off the field that have caused him to miss time, he has also battled injuries. He has dealt with a serious knee injury and a concussion in the past two years, and recently, it was reported that, before getting sentenced to 30 days in jail, he had a cleanup procedure on his knee injury from 2024 and will be sidelined for two months.
Rice has played in only 28 games over his first three seasons in the league, but despite that, he has flashed the potential of being a WR1 as he has recorded 156 receptions for 1,797 yards and 14 touchdowns.
The clock is ticking for Rice to prove that he is a piece Kansas City can rely upon long-term. He is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and with the injury and the probation violation, it appears extremely unlikely that Kansas City will engage in contract-extension talks in the near future.
This leaves 2026 as a prove-it year for Rice, but one that is far different from most players. The team knows he can perform at a high level on the field, and his play indicates he is a valuable piece for Mahomes in the long term. However, he needs to prove that he can be available for 17 games, stay out of trouble off the field, and prove that the recent surgery does not hamper his play.
Rice, despite his off-field issues, is still expected to be a crucial piece of the Chiefs’ offense and will be needed on the field to help Kansas City return to the postseason in 2026.
