Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice will face some type of suspension in 2024. That much is not up for debate, as the former second-round pick is in hot water following his car crash and alleged assault. However, nobody knows how severe said suspension will be. Recently, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio penned an article that didn’t paint a bright future for the SMU product.
NFL Insider Believes Rashee Rice Could Face “Enhanced” Suspension
The Current Charges
Let’s start by recapping the events leading to the inevitable Rashee Rice suspension. The wide receiver is currently facing eight felony charges after driving 119 miles per hour and causing a six-car crash in Dallas. Earlier this week, Rice allegedly assaulted a man in a Dallas club.
There is no denying Rice’s involvement in the car crash, but the details surrounding the alleged assault are still murky at this time. With that in mind, this doesn’t look good for Rice. According to the police report, Rice lured the alleged victim back to the club and assaulted him, leading to “visible swelling on one side of the face.”
To be fair, two witnesses claim they did not see Rice punch the photographer. While this might be enough to cast reasonable doubt and avoid a criminal conviction, it might not save Rashee Rice from a suspension. The NFL has the right to hand out punishment as they see fit, and their threshold has historically been based on “more probable than not.”
Even if Rashee Rice had a perfect record before this summer, he would still face a suspension for the car crash and possibly the alleged assault, depending on what details emerge in the coming weeks. However, a recent report reveals that the collegiate actions of the one-time Super Bowl champion could trigger a significant clause in the Personal Conduct Policy.
“Enhanced Disclipine” In Rashee Rice Suspension
According to Florio, “multiple sources” revealed that Rice had serious character concerns heading into the 2023 NFL Draft. According to the article, Rice (or a member of his entourage) fired multiple bullets into an empty car belonging to SMU basketball player Kendric Davis. This action reportedly occurred because Rice believed Davis was seeing his girlfriend.
Florio adds that, while this report never reached the media, every team in the league knew about this heading into the draft. Even though this happened before Rashee Rice joined the NFL, the incident could impact his eventual suspension.
According to the Personal Conduct Policy, ” [p]layers with a prior history of misconduct, including misconduct occurring prior to their association with the NFL, will be subject to enhanced and/or expedited discipline.”
Based on this section, nobody should be surprised if the Rashee Rice suspension keeps him out of the league for at least the 2024 season. Of course, with the wideout staring down eight felony charges and possibly facing one more, football could be the least of his concerns. If Rice assaulted that photographer in the Dallas club, don’t be surprised if the Chiefs release their troubled wideout and move forward with Marquise Brown and Xavier Worthy.
Main Photo: Stephen R. Slyvanie – USA Today Sports
