Chiefs: Rashee & The Wide Receiver Room

Lisa Foxx

The Kansas City Chiefs Wide Receiver, Rashee Rice, is back in the news during the offseason. When a player makes news off the field it’s usually never good. Rice has done that and more, much to the chagrin of the Kansas City Chiefs.

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Questions surround Rice’s most recent trouble. The wide receiver out of SMU has been accused of punching a photographer during a night out in Dallas, TX. There have been conflicting reports about the incident so there is still a lot to learn about what really happened.

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Police are investigating an incident that occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, May 7^th at a Dallas nightclub. According to some reports, the photographer was at Lit Kitchen nightclub before leaving earlier. The photographer says after he left the club, he received an Instagram message from the Kansas City wide receiver asking him to return to the club. The photographer says he assumed Rice wanted to hire him to take pictures, but when he arrived and located Rice in the club the 24-year-old punched him in the side of the head while he was looking at a phone.

When the incident was first reported a police report hadn’t been filed. The photographer has since filed a report with the Dallas police department.

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During the investigation witnesses claim to have seen an argument between the two parties, but no physical contact. The owner of the nightclub also stated that surveillance video from that night does not clearly show what happened but says he didn’t get the impression that a physical altercation had occurred.

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This event comes on the heels of a high-speed car crash involving Rice. Rice turned himself in to authorities after crashing a rented Lamborghini on a busy Dallas highway. The crash involved Rice and one of his acquaintances who was driving a Corvette registered to Rice. The two were racing when Rice lost control of the Lamborghini and caused a multi-vehicle crash. Immediately after the crash cellphone footage shows Rice and several other young men exiting the vehicles and leaving the scene of the accident. Rice later turned himself in, after retaining an attorney, and took responsibility for the reckless act.

Although a bad look, most of Chiefs Kingdom stood behind Rice, citing youth and bad decisions. With this second incident coming so soon after the racing incident, many Chiefs fans are changing their tune about Rice regarding his place on the team.

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The Chiefs are ramping up to attempt a third straight Super Bowl run (a three-peat, if you will). It’s a feat no other team has accomplished in NFL history (in the Super Bowl Era). After winning their second straight Super Bowl this past season, the Chiefs have a chance to make history with a three-peat. It’s not just a pipe dream for the team, but a real goal.

The team is lead by future Hall of Fame head coach, Andy Reid, future HOF quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and future HOF tight end Travis Kelce, with potential future HOF defensive tackle Chris Jones taking care of the other side of the ball.

Mahomes is arguably the best QB in the league and considered one of, if not the, best to ever play the game. He has the best start to an NFL career for a QB than anyone in the history of the league. The Chiefs plan to strike while the iron is hot and cement their place in NFL history.

The Chiefs struggled mightily last season with their WR corps. The team led the league in dropped passes and Mahomes’ yards per pass was the lowest of his career to date. Players that the team was relying on in the WR room were underwhelming and unreliable. Around mid-season, however, Rice began to emerge as a person on which Mahomes could rely. He made big plays and became a go-to receiver for Mahomes.

With Kelce, Rice and running back Isaiah Pacheco as weapons for Mahomes, the Chiefs exploded in the post season. The team had to go on the road in the post season for the first time in Mahomes’ career and many doubted his ability to win on the road. Although underdogs in both their road playoff games, and in the SB, the team proved their doubters wrong winning their second SB in two years.

With Rice’s legal troubles… is the three-peat now in jeopardy?

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A suspension could put a crimp in the Chiefs pursuit of a three-peat. They recently had a veteran WR in for a visit, but he left without a contract. It remains to be seen if KC will bring someone else in or go into the season with who they currently have. Either way, the WR room has been upgraded from the previous season, despite Rice’s potential absence, which must come as a welcome relief for Mahomes.

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Chiefs general manager Brett Veach signed veteran free agent WR Marquis “Hollywood” Brown to the team. The speedy receiver is joined by an even faster WR in rookie Xavier Worthy who was drafted by Veach when he moved up from #32 to #28. Worthy is a 5-foot-11, 165 lbs. receiver out of Texas. Worthy broke the 40-yard-dash record running a 4.21 in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine. He’s not only a straight-line speed runner, but also an outstanding route runner, and a welcome addition to the team. The two additions — Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy — are much needed to improve the WR room, especially with Rice’s pending legal issues.

Kansas City was expecting Rice to be a major part of the offense this coming season, but now learn they may have to play several games without him. The Chiefs don’t know what the league plans as a punishment for Rice, but it’s been reported that the second year WR out of SMU could be suspended for as many as 8 games (or basically half the season).

If the superstar QB can win a Super Bowl with the team he had last year, it’s going to be exciting to see what he can do with the fastest WR in the history of the league on his team. The hope is this that year’s team is more complete and more explosive than last year’s team. If so, it could be another MVP season for Mahomes (15:07).

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The Chiefs will enter the season with some uncertainty on the offensive side of the ball, but one thing is for sure: Mahomes and Reid are more determined than ever to make NFL history. The offensive lineup may have to change, but the goal remains the same: a Super Bowl three-peat.

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Lisa Foxx — ArrowheadOne

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