Rashee Rice has run into trouble once again, re-surfacing serious concerns for the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of the 2026 NFL season. Right before the start of OTAs and ahead of minicamp, the former second-rounder in 2023 has been ordered to serve a month of jail time.
“Rice was taken into custody after he tested positive for THC, which violated the terms of his plea agreement in a high-speed, multi-vehicle crash in 2024 on a Dallas highway,” as reported by Addi Weakley on KSHB.
“Rashee Rice is serving his original 30-day sentence as part of him pleading guilty to felony collision,” Nate Taylor of ESPN reported. Rice was always going to serve 30 days in jail, but testing positive for THC meant he no longer had the benefit of choosing when to serve the delayed sentence.
Instead, it will have to be served under the terms set by the county jail. And as a result, the Chiefs will be without their No. 1 wide receiver during OTAs and minicamp. For the second straight year, Rice will miss valuable time with his teammates in Kansas City.
Rashee Rice #4 of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Important dates of Chiefs’ program
According to documents from the Dallas County court, Rice will be released from jail on June 16. Rice was—and still is—on probation for five years due to his involvement in a high-speed, multi-vehicle crash in 2024.
Per Chiefs Wire, Kansas City has separated the roster into two groups, which will hold their Organized Team Activities (OTAs) on different days. Per the source, the first group will kick off its OTAs on May 26-28, while the second unit will do so on June 1-3. Mandatory minicamp will take place on June 9-11.
Because Rice won’t be released until June 16—and there is no way the Chiefs can change their offseason program schedule on the fly—it’s been confirmed that the wideout will be absent during a crucial stretch of the offseason.
Rice was suspended last year
The former SMU alum has caused several headaches for the Chiefs in recent years. Indeed, he puts up extraordinary numbers on the gridiron, but at some point, the cons may far outweigh the pros for Kansas City. From a PR standpoint, it’s undoubtedly difficult to overcome.
Last season, the Chiefs missed Rice during the opening six games, as he was suspended by the NFL following the high-speed highway crash. They went 3-3 without him. Whether the league will hand down a suspension of its own to Rice ahead of the 2026 campaign remains to be seen, though it does not seem especially likely. At least not unless he is involved in another offseason mishap.
