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When Rashee Rice pleaded guilty in his DUI case from a car crash in 2024, many assumed he would receive an immediate suspension from the NFL. Yet, that has not been the case, as the Kansas City Chiefs receiver will not have his disciplinary hearing until late September, a convenient scheduling arrangement for their 2025 season.
Rice pleaded guilty on July 17 and received 30 days in jail and five years of probation. However, the league did not schedule his disciplinary hearing until Sept. 30, after the Chiefs' first four games of the year. The oddity of the situation has prompted many, including NBC Sports analyst Mike Florio, to question whether the league is prioritizing its ratings over punishing Rice.
“Maybe I'm a conspiracy theorist, but this is odd,” an anonymous source told Florio. “You hardly ever see players get suspended in-season unless they did something like a drug test or something.”
Florio pointed out that Rice pleaded guilty on the same day as Minnesota Vikings receiver Jordan Addison, who received a misdemeanor DUI citation. The league already gave Addison a three-game suspension, yet Rice, who committed the objectively worse crime, remains unpunished.
Rice will undoubtedly receive a league-issued punishment, but Florio further pointed out that it will not happen until after the Chiefs' loaded early-season schedule. Kansas City faces the Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens in the first four weeks, all in nationally televised contests. Even if Rice is suspended, the earliest game he will miss is Week 5.
Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice's DUI sentencing
In addition to his jail time and probation, Rice also had to pay a total of $115,000 to the victims of his car crash for their out-of-pocket medical expenses. Rice further paid one of his victims over $1 million to settle the civil lawsuit they filed against him.
Rice's incident stemmed from a May 2024 car crash, in which he was caught driving 119 mph and hitting multiple cars in Dallas, Texas. He then fled the scene on foot, turning the situation into a hit-and-run.
Despite the jail time sentencing, Rice remains a full participant in the Chiefs' 2025 training camp. The 25-year-old has had no limitations as he recovers from a torn ACL and looks ready to return in Week 1. Kansas City will begin the season against the Chargers in Brazil.
