Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice suffered a devastating season-ending injury during a Week 4 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2024 NFL season, a game the Chiefs won 17-10. The injury occurred when quarterback Patrick Mahomes accidentally collided with Rice’s leg while attempting a tackle after throwing an interception. The 25-year-old receiver, who had shown immense promise as a rookie in 2023, tore the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in his right knee, abruptly ending his year and derailing his anticipated breakout season.
Rashee Rice #chiefs
Better angle here. You can see his knee hyperextends quite a bit.
This can put the ACL and other structures at risk. I don’t see much tibial rotation, the entire leg rotates laterally so I think the outward motion at the leg is at the hip and not the shin… pic.twitter.com/ZygXy287C5
— Tom Christ, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT (@FantasyInjuryT) September 29, 2024
Reflecting on the play, Mahomes expressed deep regret. “Rashee really made a good play,” he said after reviewing the incident. “I was trying to tackle the guy and obviously rolled up on him. If I don’t turn the ball over, that never happens. I didn’t know exactly what happened because I was trying to make the tackle. I knew it wasn’t good.” Mahomes added, “When I saw the replay, I felt like s— that I hit Rashee. I wasn’t really worried about myself. I was worried about his injury and hoping it wasn’t as bad as it looked.”
The incident left Mahomes grappling with guilt for injuring his teammate, but the Chiefs have since received positive news about Rice’s recovery. Head coach Andy Reid recently confirmed that Rice is on track to return for training camp next month, alongside rookie offensive tackle Josh Simmons, who is recovering from a torn patellar tendon. “I think they’re both ready to go,” Reid told reporters, via the Associated Press. “They actually got great work in these camps [OTAs and mandatory minicamp] here.”
Reid’s optimism extends to Simmons, a former Ohio State standout, whose athleticism and work ethic have impressed the coaching staff. “You can see his athletic ability. You can see his want-to,” Reid said of Simmons. “He approached everything the right way, plus a little extra. You can look at his rehab, and he had a mindset of, ‘I’m going to get in there. It’s not going to be training camp. It’s going to be now.’ He worked his tail off to get in there, and you respect that part. He’s done a nice job in there.”
The Chiefs, who won Super Bowls in 2022 and 2023, saw their hopes of a historic three-peat dashed last season when they fell to the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans. The Eagles’ dominant defensive line overwhelmed Kansas City’s offensive front, exposing vulnerabilities that plagued Mahomes and the offense. Despite trading guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears in the offseason, the Chiefs are banking on a revamped offensive line, with Simmons expected to play a key role, to bolster their protection and pave the way for a return to the Super Bowl in 2025.
As Kansas City prepares for the upcoming season, the return of Rice and the emergence of Simmons signal a renewed sense of optimism. For Mahomes, the focus will be on leading his team back to the top while putting the painful memory of Rice’s injury behind him.