Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is not expected to be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list stemming from his arrest in the spring, an NFL spokesman said Thursday in a video conference.
“We don’t anticipate he’ll be placed on (the) commissioner’s exempt (list) unless there’s a material change in the case,” NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy told reporters.
A player placed on the commissioner’s exempt list is paid by his team but is prohibited from participating in practice or attending games. They also do not count against the team’s roster limit.
Rice has participated in the Chiefs’ offseason programs. He remains on target to be available next Thursday when Kansas City hosts the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL’s season opener.
Rice, 24, was involved in a six-car crash on March 30 in Dallas that left seven people with injuries, including at least one woman who sustained “serious bodily injury” and another who was stranded on the highway with her 4-year-old son for about five hours after the crash.
Rice faces one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury. Police said Rice was going as fast as 119 mph on a Dallas freeway.
A second-round pick in 2023, Rice set the Chiefs’ rookie record for receiving touchdowns (seven) and receptions (79) last season. He added 26 catches in the playoffs for the Super Bowl champions.
Rice recorded the second-most receiving yards by a rookie in Chiefs history (938), trailing only Dwayne Bowe (995 in 2007).
–Field Level Media
