During Thursday’s media viewing of Day 3 of voluntary organized team activities (OTAs), Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice was one of six absentees — but that was not due to injury, according to Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.
Reid applauded overall attendance of the first three days of workouts, noting that some players were out sick for the media look — Rice among them.
“He’s actually one of the guys under the weather,” said Reid. “So we’ve kept him at home here. But in Phase 2, he was great. He just wasn’t able to go this week, so we kept him out, away from the guys.”
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes took it a step further, describing that Rice has looked like himself as he returns following the devastating knee injury he sustained in Week 4 of the 2024 season.
“He looks like Rashee,” said Mahomes. “Having the injury, it sucked, but happening so early in the season, he was back like right when the offseason started. And so he was up here working hard — extremely hard — and he was back home working extremely hard. I was throwing with him in Dallas a little bit, and then getting him back out here, and there’s no limitations.
“He’s out there playing, he’s making plays on the football field. He’s explosive; he looks fast. You saw the start of last season.”
In just three games last season, Rice caught 24 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns. Though that is admittedly a small sample size, it makes for an average of 96 yards per game.
“I think he can be one of the best receivers in the league,” added Mahomes. “And so just to have him with Xavier [Worthy], Hollywood [Brown] and all these other guys that we have, it’s another position I think (general manager) [Brett] Veach has done a great job of bringing in competition, so that we can go out there and make a lot of plays.”
The next media viewing opportunity will take place on Day 6 of voluntary OTAs, this Wednesday, June 4. Should he be feeling better, Rice is expected to participate.
