Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice has publicly addressed his tumultuous offseason for the very first time.
Speaking at a youth football camp in Kansas City alongside fellow Chiefs wideouts Marquise Brown, Xavier Worthy, Mecole Hardman, and Skyy Moore, Rice emphasized his commitment to personal growth.
In April, the 24-year-old Rice was arrested following a multi-vehicle car crash in Dallas.
Rice and his friends were spotted fleeing the scene of the incident which gave a terrible optic to the already-horrific situation.
Just when you’d think Rice would remain committed to laying low as the fragile situation played itself out, he found himself wrapped up in yet another controversial situation.
He was named as a suspect in an alleged assault at a Dallas nightclub in May, leading many to wonder if his NFL career was in grave danger.
However, the alleged victim refused to press charges and Rice faced no legal consequences in the matter.
Regardless of what exactly happened at that nightclub, Rice knows he needs to clean his act up.
He maintains that he’s a changed person and is focused on improving himself going forward.
“I’ve learned so much from that,” Rice stated. “All I can do is mature and continue to grow from that. This is a step in a better direction for me.”
Rice has actively participated in the Chiefs’ offseason program and has leaned heavily on his teammates for support.
Reflecting on his experiences, he highlighted the importance of maintaining a positive outlook.
“Accidents and stuff like that happen, but all you can do is move forward and walk around being the same person, try to be positive so that everybody can feel your love and your great energy,” he said.
Rice’s legal troubles began in April when he was involved in a six-car crash on a Dallas freeway.
He was charged with one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury, and six counts of collision involving injury.
According to police, Rice was racing another vehicle at speeds up to 119 mph before the crash.
He is currently facing a lawsuit in Texas seeking over $1 million in actual damages and $10 million in punitive damages from two individuals injured in the incident.
Rice may very well face disciplinary action from Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL.
However, assuming he’s able to continue his football career, he’s lucky that he plays for such a strong organization as the Chiefs.
As one of the most stabile franchises in the NFL, filled with leadership and support from top-to-bottom, if Rice is to indeed truly change, Kansas City provides the perfect place to do so.
Rice emerged as one of quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ most reliable weapons last season.
If the Chiefs are to pull off a historic three-peat, having a focused Rice on the field will certainly go a long way.
What are your thoughts on Rice’s comments?
Do you think he’s truly learned from his mistakes, or was he just telling everybody what they wanted to hear?
As far as the Chiefs, how do you like their chances of winning a third-straight Lombardi???