Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is all business heading into the team’s Week 1 matchup against the Denver Broncos, but that business has nothing to do with his pocketbook.
That was Rice’s message to reporters on Thursday, September 10 when they asked the wideout about his future in Kansas City as he heads into a pivotal contract year.
“I’m not necessarily focused on the future,” Rice said, per Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports. “We’ve got a game on Monday.”
Rashee Rice Has History of Off-Field Legal Problems, On-Field Injury Concerns
Rice, a second-round pick out of Southern Methodist in the 2023 draft, has one year remaining on his $6.5 million rookie deal. He is now extension-eligible, but if Rice and Kansas City don’t work out an extension before next spring then the wideout will hit the open market in free agency.
The 26 year old has complicated the process, however, both with his off-field legal issues as well as a significant injury history. Rice missed all but four games in 2024 with an LCL tear and another three outings last year due to a concussion.
Kansas City also opened last season without Rice after the NFL suspended him for six games for violating its code of conduct policy. The decision was connected to a hit-and-run incident that occurred during a street race in Texas and involved multiple vehicles. No one died as a result, but some victims suffered injuries.
Rice eventually reached legal resolution in that case, but violated the terms of his agreement with the court in May by testing positive for marijuana. He spent 30 days in jail, which interrupted the rehabilitation he was doing following an offseason procedure to surgically repair his knee.
It does not appear that Rice will face any more punishment from the league for violating the terms of his legal agreement via a positive drug test.
Rashee Rice Can Help or Hurt His Finances With His Performance in 2026
Given all his issues, Rice has played in just 12 games over the past two years.
He burst onto the scene by putting up 79 catches for 938 yards and seven TDs as a rookie while playing a big role in the Chiefs’ most recent Super Bowl victory. Rice has also been a consistently productive target for quarterback Patrick Mahomes with after-the-catch explosiveness, but the problem is how inconsistent his presence in the lineup has been.
Spotrac projects Rice’s market value at just over $52 million on a new three-year contract (roughly $17.4 million annually), which is fairly affordable given the top WR salary in the league is currently $42.15 million per year for Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Seattle Seahawks.
It is more than possible that Rice could improve upon that projection if he stays healthy, available and productive all season long. However, it is also reasonable that Kansas City waits to see some good faith progress and results from Rice before engaging in any serious longterm contract negotiations.
Rice will get his first shot to prove himself against the Broncos in Kansas City on Monday night, September 14.
Chiefs’ Rashee Rice Shares Strong Words on Future Ahead of Broncos Opener