It was always tough to believe Rashee Rice would be a regular feature in the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense this year. Given his injury history and the off-field troubles he’s run into, it was very likely that either of those two became a roadblock for him. As expected, the Chiefs’ odds are once again subject to change, now that Rice’s 2026 potential is up in the air.

Rashee Rice underwent a cleanup surgery on his right knee to remove loose debris that had reportedly been causing inflammation, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported. The injury happened in the 2024 season, after Rice collided with  Mahomes during a September game against the Los Angeles Chargers. It was initially thought that he had torn his ACL, but it was revealed that he had torn his LCL instead, injured his hamstring, and the posterolateral corner.

He was expected to be away for two months, which wouldn’t have worried fans so much. However, since this procedure happened right before he was sent to prison, Rashee Rice’s return seems much more complicated.

Rice was sentenced to serve 30 days in jail after reportedly violating the terms of his probation by testing positive for marijuana. He had struck a plea deal for his role in a multi-car crash on a Dallas highway in 2024, in which many people were injured. The court had included the jail time in the verdict that came last summer, along with five years of probation, but Rice was free to serve the sentence whenever.

Jail is obviously not the ideal environment for an NFL athlete to rehab their injuries, especially after surgery. Rice will not have access to the Chiefs’ medical staff and athletic facilities. His recovery plans will have to be retooled, but there will be less confidence in his potential once the WR comes back.

Rashee Rice’s return was a much-debated topic. On one hand, he is the clear WR1 in the wide receiver room, with no other dependable name on the chart. But at the same time, he is coming back after a long absence in 2025, when he was suspended by the league. The NFL took that step in light of the multi-car accident for which he will now serve time.

Without Rice in the picture, the situation seems grim for the Chiefs’ passing attack.

Chiefs Facing Massive Offense Questions Around Patrick Mahomes

The offensive pieces surrounding Mahomes never escaped scrutiny this offseason. The running back room caught a break with the arrival of Kenneth Walker III. But there were fears around the passing attack being weak this season, even with Rice in play.

“It just seems odd to me that they’re kind of banking on that receiver group, with Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton, to play better than they have in past years,” former quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said in an interview. “You’re doing that all while Patrick Mahomes is coming off a major injury. Look, who knows, maybe he’ll be back, but when he’ll be back, will it be the Patrick Mahomes that we remember right away?”

The passing game was embarrassingly weak for an offense that had Patrick Mahomes in it. Travis Kelce ended up doing the heavy lifting, emerging as the leading pass catcher in receiving yards. Hollywood Brown followed him in second, but with only 587 yards on the board. This was the one area where the Chiefs had to bring in a solid player, since Brown also left for the Eagles.

But the lone addition in this room is WR Cyrus Allen, who would clearly need some time before he became Mahomes’ No. 1 target. Another disappointing fact is that Rice, Worthy, and Thornton together accounted for 1,541 yards last year. No wonder the Chiefs’ decision to let this trio support Mahomes this season was confusing. Moreover, he is ahead of schedule in his recovery timeline, which should have pushed the team to provide him with the necessary help to be successful this year.

There are still some notable veteran names in free agency that the Chiefs could be interested in now. Former Kansas City WR Tyreek Hill has been linked to the team for some time now, even though he is also recovering from an injury. Former Patriots WR Stefon Diggs is also an option, who is a great veteran presence and a consistent WR. The Chiefs are serious about adding a veteran presence because they were looking at Minnesota’s Jauan Jennings.

With Rashee Rice becoming questionable once again, Kansas City now has to avoid making any more gambles.