Chiefs stars send clear Rashee Rice message with bold pregame statement

The suspension for Rice was a controversial point coming into the season, as the NFL's powers-that-be seemed to want to make an example of Rice for an offense that didn't obviously warrant such a lengthy suspension. Yet six games was a settling point compared to the reported amount of 10 or more games suspended originally desired by the league.

Rumors and reports circulated all throughout the offseason on a potential suspension length for Rice, ranging from a couple of games to more than a half-season. Internally, the Chiefs reportedly thought Rice would miss 4-6 games, but the wide receiver leaned on the NFLPA to help him get a third-party arbitrator to rule on his punishment.

Rice could be playing for the Chiefs at the present time if all parties had waited until the neutral-party hearing, which was scheduled for the end of September. However, Rice and the NFL reached an agreement at six games and that meant the Chiefs would be without their top target for the first six weeks of the year.

Rice's suspension is linked back to a reckless driving incident in the spring of 2024 in which the wideout and another party caused a multi-vehicle accident on a Dallas-area highway, which resulted in damage and injuries. Substances were not involved, however, and comparable suspensions for similar incidents in recent NFL history have been far shorter than Rice's six-game term.

T-shirts aren't going to shorten Rice's suspension, but at the very least, his teammates have made it clear that he's missed on the field. It also makes Rice's punishment a talking point once again, shining a light on the league's very inconsistent policies that make things so frustrating in the first place.