Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice was carted off the field with a leg injury.
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Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton intercepted an overthrown pass meant to go to tight end Travis Kelce. As a result of the pick, Rice collided with Patrick Mahomes in an attempt to stop Fulton.
The Chiefs announced the wideout sustained a knee injury a few minutes after the play.
Rice has been the most reliable target for Mahomes this season. With Marquise Brown dealing with an injury and Kelce struggling, Rice was asked to deliver.
The receiver ranks third in the NFL in catches with 24. He also ranks fourth in the league in yards with a total of 288.
KANSAS CITY, MO – SEPTEMBER 15:Rashee Rice #4 of the Kansas City Chiefs catches a pass during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 15, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. Rashee Rice sustains knee injury in Week 4 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
The 3-0 Chiefs have relied on Rice as a consistent weapon for their offense.
“He’s a complete receiver,” Mahomes told ESPN’s Adam Teicher. “He’s getting better and better and he can do it all. I think people see the short stuff and they get enamored by it because it’s so special when he catches the ball, but he can catch the ball down the field, he can block, he can do whatever — everything it takes to be a good receiver in this league.”
“You’ve seen that he’s been more versatile this year,” Mahomes added. “He is able to run more and more routes and then the way he’s able to catch the ball and make stuff happen after the catch, he is a hard guy to tackle. And so being able to do both those things, I think it helps that the speed out there is kind of helping spread out the field for him and then there’s a lot of attention on Travis.”
The Chiefs currently trail the Chargers 10-0. With Rice out of the game, Mahomes will look to Kelce to escape his slump.
Losing Rice is devastating for the Chiefs, especially since his sophomore campaign has more than exceeded expectations.
However, a shadow has been cast on Rice’s strong start to the season. The 24-year-old awaits trial on eight different charges. Rice allegedly is responsible for a high-speed crash in Dallas. The crash in March was a result of Rice driving 119 miles per hour, according to police.
The charges against Rice include aggravated assault, collision involving serious bodily injury, and collision involving injury in connection with a crash on a Dallas freeway.
Two people who claim to have been injured in the crash are also suing the Kansas City receiver.
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