How Disturbing Details Could Lengthen Rice’s Suspension

Rashee Rice’s situation is serious; it’s now in the hands of the NFL and could result in a suspension of at least five games. The wide receiver on Thursday pled guilty to a pair of third-degree felonies in Dallas County District Court, one for a collision involving serious bodily injury, another for racing on a highway causing serious bodily injury.

As part of a plea agreement with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, a judge sentenced Rice to five years of deferred probation and 30 days in jail as a condition of his probation. Rice also had to pay nearly $115,500 to cover the victims’ medical costs.

In weighing the length of Rice’s suspension under the league’s Personal Conduct Policy, the NFL is expected to weigh several disturbing details, documented by the district attorney’s office.

“Mr. Rice was operating a 2020 Lamborghini Urus SUV,” the D.A.’s office said in a statement, “when he made multiple aggressive maneuvers around traffic, driving 119 miles per hour just 4.5 seconds prior to the first impact, ultimately taking faulty evasive action, and striking other vehicles. This caused a chain reaction that affected multiple vehicles. After the collision, Mr. Rice failed to check on the welfare of the victims and fled on foot.”

Because the Personal Conduct Policy exists to protect the league’s image, those details could extend the suspension. League insider Jonathan Jones said Friday morning that video from the crash doesn’t help Rice, either.

“Video from the scene saw Rashee Rice and others emerge from the car,” Jones said, “taking their belongings and leaving the scene. Then it took a couple of days and Rashee Rice apologized profusely and took full responsibility.”

Rice continued to apologize and take responsibility on Thursday.

“Last March, I was involved in a high-speed accident in Dallas,” Rice said in a statement Thursday. “There have been a lot of sleepless nights thinking about the damages that my actions caused, and I will continue working within my means to make sure that everyone impacted will be made whole.

“I urge everyone to mind the speed limit, drive safe and drive smart. Last and certainly not least, I am profoundly sorry for the physical damages to person and property. I fully apologize for the harm I caused to innocent drivers and their families.”

Those families reportedly filed three cases against Rice in civil court, one of which he settled on Wednesday for more than $1 million, according to Jones.

“The baseline for the NFL Personal Conduct Policy is six games,” Jones said. “The NFL will consider some mitigating factors: His apology, that he will do community work, that he will do a five-year probation sentence, will have to show 30 days jail time at some point within those five years.”

Jones expects the suspension to be between five and seven games. Upon the NFL’s decision, Rice would have the ability to appeal to Commissioner Roger Goodell or his designee. The timing is important to Kansas City, too. The toughest part of the Chiefs’ schedule is the first nine games of the regular season.

There are also aggravating factors, right? The rate of speed, over 40 mph over the speed limit, leaving the scene of the crash, and that being documented on video. That will hurt Rashee Rice when you're talking about how many games he ultimately could be suspended for. So I have sort of set here between five and seven games that Rashee Rice will probably be suspended by the NFL to start the season.

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