Rashee Rice injury update: Adam Schefter details 'optimism' surrounding Chiefs WR's recovery timeline

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice received good news about his knee injury after consulting with doctors on Monday. According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, there’s “a lot of optimism” that Rice didn’t suffer a knee injury as significant as first believed. The SMU alum will be put under anesthesia on Tuesday to determine the extent of his injury, but the belief is it could be a “much shorter” recovery timeline than originally anticipated.

Schefter also said that it’s unlikely Rice will play again this year, but doctors will not know for sure until they perform surgery Tuesday morning. Rice suffered the injury last Sunday when Patrick Mahomes collided with his knee during the game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Through four games this year, Rice caught 29 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns.

“We’re really hoping that things work out for the best, but let’s just see where it goes and leave it up to the doctors to see,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said after placing Rice on IR, per ESPN.

“Rashee’s had a phenomenal year. Unfortunately, in this league injuries happen, and life goes on, so we always expected the next guys to step up and roll, and it’s no different now. There’s not another Rashee. There [are] other guys, though, that are very, very good, so we’ll be fine.”

Patrick Mahomes reacts to Rashee Rice’s injury

Mahomes was asked about Rice’s injury and said he felt bad about his role in the incident. “When I saw the replay, I felt like sh** that I hit Rashee; I think that’s pretty much all I mean; I wasn’t worried about myself,” Mahomes said per Chiefs Wire. “I was worried about, hopefully, his injury and hoping it wasn’t as bad as it looked because I was the one that hit him.”

“Rashee (Rice) is a huge part of the game plan; you have to throw guys in there and make that timing up. Coach (Andy Reid) tries to get that done in practice,” Mahomes added. “He tries to throw guys in certain situations. But obviously, there’s limited reps. But I thought the guys did a great job accepting the challenge and being there in those moments.”