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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice suffered a knee injury from Patrick Mahomes trying to make a tackle after throwing an interception against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. It was a total accident and unfortunate circumstance in which Rice got injured, and Mahomes spoke about what he was thinking on the play.
“I didn't notice it in the moment, I more worried about trying to get the ball,” Patrick Mahomes said, according to Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “But obviously, was just trying to make a play and it happens whenever you're trying to make tackles.”
Mahomes then went on to explain how he felt when he saw what happened with Rashee Rice.
“I mean, when I saw the replay, I felt like s**t that I hit Rashee,” Mahomes said, according to Simmons. “I think that's pretty much all — I mean, I wasn't worried about myself. I was worried about, hopefully, his injury and hoping it wasn't as bad as it looked because I was the one that hit him.”
There was fear that Rice suffered a season-ending ACL injury, but that has not been diagnosed, so there remains optimism that he could return for the Chiefs at some point this season. Regardless, his absence is huge for any length in time.
How Chiefs will deal without Rashee Rice in the lineup
For this upcoming game on Monday Night Football against the New Orleans Saints, the Chiefs will be without Rice. Presumably, they will be without him for longer than that as well. Mahomes spoke on how he and head coach Andy Reid are preparing to deal with that reality.
“[O]bviously, Rashee is a huge part of the game plan, you have to throw guys in there and make that timing up,” Mahomes said, according to Simmons. “Coach tried to get that done in practice — he tries to throw guys in certain situations. But obviously, there's limited reps. But I thought the guys did a great job of accepting the challenge and being in there in those moments. … But coach Reid does a great job of getting guys ready to go throughout a week of game plan. And we had an extra day this week, so I'm sure guys will be ready to go out there and play some great football.”
Players like Travis Kelce, Xavier Worthy and others will have to step up for the Chiefs, as Rice was the top option in the offense so far this season. It will be worth watching Monday's game against the Saints to see how Kansas City attempts to offset that loss.
