On Tuesday, Rashee Rice made headlines for all of the wrong reasons.
The Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver violated his probation and will now have to serve 30 days in jail. As if that wasn’t bad enough, it was revealed that he just underwent knee surgery last week, meaning the timing couldn’t be worse. One former Chiefs star didn’t hold back and called out Rice on social media.
Former Chiefs Star Calls Out Rashee Rice After Post-Surgery Jail Sentence
Mitchell Schwartz, a former All-Pro offensive tackle who won Super Bowl LIV with the Chiefs, took to X to react to the Rice news.
“The absolute best rehab plan a week after surgery is being in jail for 30 days,” Schwartz wrote in a tweet dripping with sarcasm. “That’s what they always say.”
The absolute best rehab plan a week after surgery is being in jail for 30 days. That’s what they always say https://t.co/jkIN2KMbjR
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) May 19, 2026
Rice had the procedure done in Dallas to clean up his right knee, removing loose debris that was causing inflammation. This was the same knee that he hurt during a September 2024 collision with Patrick Mahomes against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Doctors initially feared a torn ACL, but it turned out to be a torn lateral collateral ligament, a damaged hamstring tendon, and a posterolateral corner injury. The issue never fully went away, so Rice addressed it surgically. This was a reasonable plan, but he obviously didn’t know at the time that a 30-day jail sentence was coming just one week later.
The jail stint stems from Rice testing positive for THC, which is a violation of his probation. He was on probation due to a March 2024 street-racing incident in Dallas, where a crash left multiple people injured. Rice pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges and served a six-game suspension at the start of the 2025 season related to this incident.
While Rice is sitting in a Dallas County jail, not only will he miss the Chiefs’ OTAs, but he also won’t be able to rehab his surgically repaired knee or follow-up with the team’s medical staff. That’s not ideal… hence Schwartz’s post.
Rice is expected to be sidelined for two months, meaning he should be ready for training camp assuming all goes according to plan.
When healthy and available, Rice has been a key piece for the Chiefs’ offense. Last season, Rice was the 16th-best wide receiver in PFSN’s WR Impact Score, finishing ahead of DeVonta Smith (81.7), Drake London (80.9), A.J. Brown (80.9), Jaylen Waddle (80.9), and DK Metcalf (89.2), among others.
However, thanks to injuries and off-field issues impacting his availability, he appeared in just 12 games over the last two seasons. Rice was a second round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and has shown glimpses of brilliance that suggest he could be a superstar, but it remains to be seen if he can get out of his own way.
