Getty Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice.
For the first time since he caused a multi-car crash in Dallas, Texas and allegedly assaulted a photographer at a Dallas nightclub, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice spoke to the media at the Pat Clarke youth football camp on June 9.
“I’ve learned so much from that. All I can do is mature and continue to grow from that,” Rice said, via Jesse Newell of The Kansas City Star. “This is a step in a better direction for me.”
The multi-car crash in Dallas, which took place on March 30, resulted in eight charges against Rice: one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury, and six counts of collision involving injury, according to WFAA on April 10.
The photographer who was allegedly assaulted by Rice requested that the charges against the wideout be dropped after the victim claimed there was a “misunderstanding,” according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero on May 21.
Though Rice must wait for his court cases and the NFL to determine what his punishment will be for causing the crash, the second-year wideout is trying to move forward from the incident.
“Accidents and stuff like that happen,” Rice said, per Newell. “But all you can do is move forward and walk around being the same person, try to be positive so that everybody can feel your love and your great energy.”
Patrick Mahomes Helping Rashee Rice Learn from His Mistakes
Rice has participated in Kansas City’s offseason program despite the legal trouble. That has allowed him to be around his Chiefs teammates, who are trying to help the young playmaker amid one of the toughest periods of his football career.
One of those teammates is quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who shared the piece of advice he gave to Rice during his media availability on May 22.
“It’s not just me, just trying to do whatever we can to teach him (Rashee Rice) how to learn from his mistakes,” Mahomes explained during his press conference. “Obviously, that was a big mistake, but you have to learn from it, make sure it doesn’t happen again and try to do whatever you can to be the best person you can be in society. Not only for yourself but for the people around you.
“I think he is doing that, right now we’re just going to keep trying to do everything we can to get him on the right path so he can be a great football player obviously – but we want him to be a great person too.”
Patrick Mahomes Trying to Help Chiefs Teammates Stay Focused
Whether it’s Rice and his legal troubles, offensive linemen Wanya Morris and Chukwuebuka Godrick being arrested for marijuana possession, or kicker Harrison Butker‘s sexist remarks about women, the Chiefs have had no shortage of off-the-field distractions this offseason.
Despite that, Mahomes believes this year’s Kansas City squad has the makeup to remain focused when they are together as a team.
“I think guys know. At the same time, when you get in the locker room, it’s kind of that safe space where everyone can be themselves, we can worry about football, each other’s families and everything like that,” Mahomes said.”It’s always good to have people here, have people in Kansas City practicing, like you said competing.
“It’s just about being as smart as we can when we’re not in the building. I think the guys understand (that) we have to step up as a team and an organization in that way. We have to go out there and prove that in order for other people to believe that as well.”