Rashee Rice's Jail Time Is Messing With His Surgery Recovery
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is going to miss the next month or so of, not just team training, but his own recovery from surgery as he spends it behind bars.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Rice is currently in jail after violating his probation. In an article for ESPN.com and during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Schefter said that Rice cannot get the rehab that he would need after getting that surgery, which occurred a week ago. As a result, Rice is expected to be sidelined from football activity for another two months.
"Now in a Dallas County jail, Rice will be unable to get the type of medical attention and rehab that could have expedited his return from last week's surgery," Schefter wrote on Tuesday.
"Fortunately for Rice, there was no structural damage to his knee. But a debridement was needed to help relieve the discomfort he was experiencing."
Appearing on the Pat McAfee Show, Schefter said that Rice did not know he would be going to jail and would not have undergone the surgery if he had known.
"Rashee Rice did not know that he was going to be going to jail for thirty days... If he did there's no way that he would have had the knee surgery that he did last week... He's currently in a jail cell," Schefter said.
Pity Well Dried Up
NFL fans haven't exactly been supportive of some of Rice's behavior in recent years and were not about to offer a sympathetic shoulder to lean on after this latest incident.
"Probation officers don't tell you when going to jail. They wait till you show up and you're in jail. Should've told his attorney he was smoking and got a script. Easily avoided. Stupid guy for not realizing his attorney could help him or bad lawyer. Probably both," one user wrote.
"The dumbass has never faced full consequences for his actions. Figured he could skirt the issue here," another said dismissively.
"Why is this dude always in trouble? Clean it up Rashee," a third wrote.
"Yeah that's enough, I'll take Diva AJ Brown over inmate Rashee Rice."
"How tf did he not know? He thinks he's above the terms of probation?"
Rice has played just 28 games since being drafted by the Chiefs in the 2023 NFL Draft, enjoying a breakout season as a rookie with just under 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns while providing some help in their 2023 Super Bowl run.
But over the past two seasons injuries and suspensions have limited him to 12 games and under 900 receiving yards.
Past a certain point, the Chiefs may decide that it's better to stop hoping that Rice will improve and start planning harder for a long-term future without him.
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This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 12:30 PM.