The Kansas City Chiefs only have one more game to play without star wide receiver Rashee Rice in Week 6, and the suspended pass-catcher preluded the news of his impending Week 7 return with an enticing three-word message to fans.
“Everybody Gotta Eat,” Rice posted on October 8, which is a relatively common NFL expression that refers to the offense spreading around the football to several playmakers.
When he’s at his best, quarterback Patrick Mahomes is known for getting different wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs involved in the passing game. However, he’s also been known to have favorite pass-catchers throughout his career.
Guys he can always rely on when the pocket breaks down and the going gets tough.
Obviously, future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce has been one of those players throughout Mahomes’ career, as was wideout Tyreek Hill before he was traded. To a lesser extent, a veteran running back like Jerick McKinnon served this purpose, too, and in 2024, it became clear that Rice was the next linchpin of this KC offense.
Just as the 2023 second-round pick began to take the torch from Kelce last year, he was sidelined with a devastating knee injury. His suspension eventually followed, making it almost a season and a half since Rice has taken the field for a regular season game.
That will change in Week 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders, and once Rice is back in uniform, this entire offense expects to “eat.”
Rashee Rice’s Presence Will Make the Entire Chiefs Offense Work More Efficiently in Week 7 & Beyond
Poor Raiders. The recent AFC West punching bag will be the first defense that experiences the Kansas City offense back at full strength, assuming no major injuries occur in Week 6.
And the impact of Rice cannot be understated.
Like Kelce in his prime, Rice makes this entire offense go. Ironically, the current KC WR1 is nothing like Hill.
Yes, Rice can gash a defense with his yards after the catch ability or an occasional burner route down the sideline, but he’s not necessarily the main big-play threat within this offense. That would be speed demon Xavier Worthy or newcomer Tyquan Thornton.
Rice is more like Kelce in that he has a special knack for finding open space within the opposing defense. He also seemingly shares a brain with Mahomes, similar to the legendary tight end.
When Mahomes has that, and teams are forced to respect both Rice and Kelce as viable yards after catch options underneath, it opens up the deep passing game. Likewise, if teams dedicate their forces to stopping Worthy and Thornton over the top, guys like Rice, Kelce and Hollywood Brown should benefit in the empty pockets of space that open up beneath them.
This was always the devious plan for this new-look Chiefs offense, but we’ve yet to truly see it come to fruition due to injuries and suspensions. In Week 7, head coach Andy Reid hopes to finally have all his toys.
Chiefs Will Try Their Best to Avoid Going 2-4 Without Rice in Week 6
Before Rice retakes the field, the Chiefs will face off against one of the best teams in football: The Detroit Lions.
The Lions flaunt the offense that KC hopes to run out in Week 7. It’s efficient, well-oiled, well-blocked, and any number of playmakers can beat you at any time.
Their version of Rice is Amon-Ra St. Brown, who has developed into one of the top wide receivers in the game. He makes the Lions’ offense go, but he’s not alone.
The major differences between Detroit and Kansas City, offensively speaking, are quarterback and running back. The Lions have a much more dynamic RB duo in Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, but Mahomes — a two-time NFL MVP — gives the Chiefs the QB advantage over Jared Goff.
If KC falls to the Lions on Sunday Night Football, they will start the season 2-4 without Rice, with a long way to climb before they’re back in the Super Bowl conversation.
Chiefs WR Rashee Rice Sends 3-Word Message Ahead of Long-Awaited Return