While the civil lawsuit filed by Kansas City Chiefs’ Rashee Rice’s ex-girlfriend Dacoda Jones on account of domestic violence is still ongoing, the NFL has closed its own investigation into the same. The league announced its verdict today, and shortly afterward came Rice’s response as well.

Rice was investigated immediately after allegations of physical assault began surfacing on social media in January 2026. ESPN’s Adam Schefter shared that after months of looking into the matter, “the NFL decided today that Chiefs WR Rashee Rice ‘has not done anything that breaks the personal conduct policy.’”

The investigation found insufficient evidence to support the claims, which included allegations from a former girlfriend. A key factor in the investigation was a sworn Affidavit for Non-Prosecution filed by the accuser in October 2025, which stated that while a verbal argument occurred, Rice did not physically harm her. He can therefore continue playing for the Kansas City Chiefs without any penalties or disruption.
When the verdict came out, Rice shared a statement of his own:

“Mr. Rice wants to thank the NFL for their thorough investigation, and looks forward to the start of the 2026-27 NFL season,” Sean Lindsey, Rice’s attorney, said in a statement, via ESPN.

In February, Dacoda Jones escalated her accusations by filing a civil lawsuit in Dallas County, alleging that Rashee Rice subjected her to repeated physical abuse and seeking $1 million in damages. Jones, who shares two children with Rice, claimed the alleged violence lasted months, from the end of 2023 until mid-2025, and she was left with permanent injuries.

The filing reports of frightening events, such as the claim that he strangled her within their house in Victory Park, with the alleged abuse prevailing in the course of their relationship. Court filings further alleged the incidents spanned roughly a 19-month period and included injuries such as bleeding and bruising, though police have not filed criminal charges related to the allegations.

Some of these incidents, as per the lawsuit, took place when she was already pregnant, making the matter worse. Apart from physical violence, Jones accused Rice of engaging in acts of intimidation and harassment, such as throwing things, destroying property, and locking him out of their house late at night. The complaint also described additional allegations that Rice grabbed, pushed, scratched, and headbutted her during different points in the relationship, claims that now form part of the ongoing civil case in Dallas County.

On the other hand, Rice defended himself by citing an affidavit that Jones gave in October 2025, wherein he had reportedly said he did not hit her. The Kansas City Chiefs then accepted the circumstances at the time and said they were communicating with the NFL, but did not go further to comment on a possible disciplinary penalty.

“The club is aware and remains in communication with the National Football League,” the team said at the time.

Jones initially published images of her bruises on social media in January, but at that point, she did not refer to Rice, describing the end of an abusive relationship that had ended in the winter of 2025 after she was locked out in freezing temperatures. In that post, she also wrote that she had “protected his image too long,” adding that she was stepping forward to “protect my peace, protect my children and stand up for myself,” before later deleting the post.

After all these allegations, Rice responded to the lawsuit via his legal representation, saying, “We will allow the legal process to run its course and have no further comment at this time.”

It’s a matter of time before the lawsuit ends as well.

The Kansas City Chiefs have yet to comment on the recent development in Rashee Rice’s case. Right now, the attention in Chiefs Kingdom is back on football.

Rashee Rice’s availability reshapes Chiefs’ wide receiver plans

Since there won’t be any league penalties, Rice has a fresh start for now. As Kansas City works on improving its offense, Rice is expected to be ready for that. That opportunity comes at an important moment in his career, with the former second-round pick entering the final year of his rookie contract after finishing the 2025 season with 53 receptions for 571 yards and five touchdowns following a six-game suspension tied to his role in a 2024 high-speed crash case.

Despite missing games in the past two years because of injuries and suspensions, he was still on track to reach 1,000 yards if he played a full season. He already sits as the top option in the room and shows clear Pro Bowl-level upside.

However, apart from him, the Chiefs lack a solid WR option. Behind Rice, the team has Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, and Jalen Royals. This leaves fans of Chiefs Kingdom wondering if this unit is truly solid or if the team would be better off taking their best draft pick to fortify the unit further.

While Worthy was struggling with an injury in his shoulder last season, it was evident that he had been demonstrating his skills throughout the year, particularly during the 2024 season. Likewise, Thornton provided the team with a significant vertical threat early on during the 2025 season. But he never had more than 26 receptions in a season.

However, neither Worthy nor Thornton has shown they can carry a WR1 load. If Rice misses more time, the offense could really suffer. Also, only Worthy and Rice are still under contract after 2026, which makes the long-term outlook unclear. So, the draft might play a very important role here.

Rice has a real chance to show he’s one of the best receivers in the league now that he’s healthy and free of problems. His rookie contract is almost up, so a full breakout season could mean a lot of money for him.