As the NFL season rapidly approaches, the availability of wide receiver Rashee Rice for the Kansas City Chiefs season opener against the Baltimore Ravens is still a mystery.
Rice faces eight felony charges stemming from a street-racing incident in March 2024, which resulted in multiple injuries.
Initially, it seemed improbable that Rice would be on the field for Week 1. However, recent developments suggest he may indeed be eligible to play.
Pro Football Talk reports that the NFL has yet to conduct any interviews or meetings with Rice regarding his legal troubles.
Riceās potential absence from the season opener against the Ravens could hinge on two factors. The first is an unpaid suspension under the NFLās Personal Conduct Policy, which typically occurs after the conclusion of criminal proceedings.
Given that Riceās case is still ongoing and unlikely to be resolved quickly, a suspension before Week 1 seems improbable.
Even if a plea deal were reached immediately, the league would require additional time to complete its disciplinary review, which now involves a third-party investigator.
The second possibility is being placed on the Commissioner Exempt list, which allows for paid leave.
However, this action has not been taken yet. The NFL generally reserves the Commissioner Exempt list for cases involving domestic violence and has not employed it for felony charges unrelated to such issues.
“We have been monitoring developments in the matter. Following the conclusion of the legal process, the NFL will review the matter under the Personal Conduct Policy,” the NFL told Pro Football Talk.
The league’s statement suggests that an unpaid suspension is unlikely to be imposed in the immediate future.
While paid leave remains a theoretical option, it has not been utilized thus far, which makes its implementation in the coming weeks seem unlikely.
In other words, there seems to be a very strong chance that Rice will take the field on September 5th when the Chiefs start their journey towards what would be an unprecedented three-peat.