The Kansas City Chiefs had little trouble handling the Denver Broncos on Monday night, cruising to a 31-10 victory. Rashee Rice, however, gave the NFL a reason to take a closer look at his night after his touchdown celebration broke one of the league’s rules.
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Rice scored on a 13-yard screen pass late in the second quarter, breaking a tackle before racing into the end zone. He then punted the ball into the stands during his celebration, an action that is expected to cost him $8,357. The amount will be deducted from Rice’s game check as a fine, according to senior NFL writer Jonathan Jones of The Athletic.
The touchdown itself was an important moment for Rice, who is trying to put a difficult two years behind him. He finished Monday night with two carries for 19 yards in addition to his touchdown reception, but the bigger story was simply getting back on the field and contributing to the Chiefs.
Rice entered the NFL as a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and immediately became an important part of Kansas City’s offense. He caught 79 passes for 938 yards as a rookie and helped the Chiefs win the Super Bowl.
His second season, however, was disrupted by both an off-field incident and a serious knee injury.
On March 30, 2024, Rice was involved in a multi-vehicle crash in Dallas after allegedly racing former SMU teammate Theodore Knox. Rice was reportedly driving a Lamborghini Urus when the crash caused a chain reaction involving six vehicles.
He later pleaded guilty and apologized for the damage caused by the crash, including injuries suffered by some of those involved. He was sentenced to five years of probation and 30 days in jail, with the possibility of serving the jail sentence at any point during the probation period.
The NFL also suspended Rice for the first six games of the 2025 season for violating its personal conduct policy. The suspension cost him more than $420,000 in lost salary.
Rice eventually served the 30-day jail sentence from mid-May to mid-June this year after testing positive for THC, which prompted a Dallas court to order him to serve the sentence immediately.
Rice’s 2024 season was cut short in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers on September 29. He suffered a right-knee posterolateral corner injury, involving the LCL, after accidentally colliding with Patrick Mahomes during an attempted tackle following an interception. The injury eventually required surgery.
Rashee Rice has plenty to prove before his contract runs out
Rice’s rookie season showed why the Chiefs believed they had found a long-term investment to strengthen Mahomes’ play. But his off-field problems and injuries have changed the conversation around him.
He is now entering the final year of his four-year, $6.5 million rookie contract, giving him plenty of reasons to put together a strong season.
Head coach Andy Reid has remained optimistic about Rice, pointing to the progress he has made. Rice, however, has reportedly not been particularly focused on his future contract, according to A to Z Sports.
That future could become a major topic if he puts together a productive season. Spotrac currently projects Rice’s market value at $52.1 million, with an estimated average annual salary of $17.4 million. For comparison, Seattle Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba currently leads the NFL in average annual salary among wide receivers at $42.15 million.
Rice has already shown that he can produce on the biggest stage. He started 10 games during Kansas City’s 2023 Super Bowl run and finished that season as one of Mahomes’ most reliable targets.
The touchdown against Denver was a positive step, even if the celebration added an unnecessary fine to his night. Rice will now have another chance to show the Chiefs what he can offer when Kansas City faces the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2.