Kansas City Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice was carted off the field with a knee injury during Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers after a strange play that involved him colliding with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The incident occurred as both players were chasing Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton during an interception return.
Rice was ruled out for the remainder of the game after the first quarter, which concluded with the Chiefs trailing 10-0. Following the Chiefs’ 17-10 victory, there were concerns that Rice may have sustained a torn ACL, as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid expressed his sadness for Rice, indicating that they did not anticipate positive news regarding his injury but would remain hopeful for the best outcome. Rice is scheduled to undergo additional testing on Monday to confirm the initial assessment.
In the game, Mahomes had overthrown tight end Travis Kelce during the Chiefs’ second drive, leading to Fulton returning his interception for 29 yards. Rice was able to chase Fulton down at the Chiefs’ 20-yard line and managed to knock the ball loose, only for Mahomes to inadvertently collide with Rice’s legs while trying to tackle Fulton.
Although Chiefs center Creed Humphrey recovered the fumble, a video review determined that Rice was out of bounds at the time he forced the fumble, allowing the Chargers to keep possession. Both of Rice’s knees were affected during the collision, and it appeared that his right knee hyperextended.
Before this injury, Rice was the Chiefs’ leading receiver, with 24 receptions for 288 yards and two touchdowns, placing him third in the NFL for receptions heading into Week 4. Notably, no other Chiefs receiver had more than nine catches this season. Rice is also facing legal issues stemming from a high-speed multi-car crash on a Texas freeway last March.