Another NFL insider suggests Chiefs WR Rashee Rice might not be suspended until 2025

The Kansas City Chiefs are expecting a suspension for wide receiver Rashee Rice for his involvement in a car crash in Dallas this offseason. It's a clear violation of the league's personal conduct policy, yet the timing of that suspension remains a major question mark. 

While there have been some indications that a suspension could come as early as Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season, several NFL insiders have signaled that things might not be resolved in a way where the league can take such action this season. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport was the first to suggest this possibility during Day 3 of the 2024 NFL draft. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler has followed suit, reporting on SportsCenter this weekend that Rice might not be suspended at all in 2024. 

“Most people I’ve talked to around the league believe that he will get a multi-game suspension at some point given all that’s gone down,” Fowler said on SportsCenter, via On3Sports. “This is a lengthy legal process, which means he could start the season, actually play games, or finish the whole year, because the league likes to see the full scope of things before they make a decision on how many games a player might face. We saw that with Alvin Kamara a couple of years ago when he had his battery charges. He played the whole year, then was suspended for the next year. So that is a possibility that the Chiefs are bracing for here, they just don’t know.”

Rice did participate in Phase III of the offseason workout program in Kansas City and even managed to be a standout at mandatory minicamp. 

“He was an active participant in the Chiefs’ offseason spring workouts. I was told that was a safe haven for him. After all that he’s dealing with off the field, it was a relief for him to be on it,” Fowler continued. “He was considered a consummate teammate while he was there. And now the Chiefs wait on a potential NFL suspension.”

Roger Goodell's comments on Chiefs WR Rashee Rice track with the latest report

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell commented on potential discipline for Chiefs WR Rashee Rice ahead of the 2024 NFL draft. His comments are consistent with the league's process for serious off-field issues, namely letting the legal process play out before taking any sort of action. 

“First, we allow the legal process to move through,” Goodell said. “We obviously are following it closely and as soon as they are done with the process we will be engaged and be prepared to look at all of that under our personal conduct policy.”

Alvin Kamara was the comparison that Fowler used here. He was suspended three games on August 4, 2023, for violating the league's personal conduct policy, which stemmed from a physical altercation in Las Vegas back in February of 2022. Chiefs fans will be familiar with that because of the involvement of former Chiefs CB Chris Lammons. 

It took almost 18 months for that situation to be resolved from the incident through the entire legal process. If things don't get resolved in the courts ahead of the 2024 NFL season, it's entirely feasible that Rice could be available to play come Week 1. He may be suspended at some point during the season, should things be resolved in the courts. It's also possible that he'll not be suspended at all during the upcoming season, but is instead suspended at the onset of the 2025 NFL season, should the legal process take that long to play out.

Rice recorded 79 receptions for 938 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie during the 2023 NFL season. He's expected to play a big role in the offense moving forward in Kansas City.