Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice being helped after an injury during the first half of an NFL game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 29, 2024, in Inglewood, California. (Photo by: Ashley Landis/AP)
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice may have suffered a torn ACL in his right knee, according to a report from ESPN, after a collision with quarterback Patrick Mahomes during the team’s 17-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Rice will undergo an MRI on Monday.
“I’m sure it’s not as good of news as we want,” Reid said after the Chiefs improved to 4-0.
Chiefs’ Offensive Setbacks
Rice’s injury is the latest setback for the Chiefs’ offense. Earlier, wide receiver Hollywood Brown suffered a sternoclavicular injury in the preseason and is expected to miss most of the season. Running back Isiah Pacheco broke his leg in Week 2 and is currently on injured reserve, though he could return later this season.
Rice got hurt while trying to recover a Chargers fumble during an interception return. He collided with Mahomes, and both of Rice’s knees took a hit, with his right knee appearing to hyperextend. Medical staff examined him on the sideline before he was taken to the locker room on a cart.
Key Performances in Rice’s Absence
Rice entered Week 4 leading the league in catches (24) and was second in receiving yards (288).
In Rice’s absence, the Chiefs saw strong performances from tight end Travis Kelce, running back Kareem Hunt, and wide receiver Xavier Worthy. Kelce had seven catches for 89 yards, becoming the Chiefs’ all-time leader in receptions, passing Tony Gonzalez. Hunt, playing his first game since returning to the team, rushed for 69 yards. Worthy caught a 54-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes.
“The guys stepped up and filled in as good as they can the role that [Rice] has in our offense, which is a big one,” Mahomes said. “All we can do now is go back to the basics and try to get guys opportunities to succeed.
“With Rashee going out early, you’ve got to put Kelce back in that situation where he is getting high-volume catches. Then just with the Chargers taking away some of the outside stuff and leaving the middle of the field open and we were able to get Trav in some of those zone coverages.
“The whole Kelce thing in general hasn’t been a worry to me. I know whenever we need him he’s going to make plays, and that’s what he did today.”
Hunt’s Impact on the Run Game
Hunt gave some life to the Chiefs’ running game after rookie starter Carson Steele lost a fumble for the second time in three games. Reid said Hunt got most of the work after the fumble because he was the “hot hand,” but indicated he wouldn’t hesitate to use Steele in upcoming games.
Mahomes said Hunt looked much like the player who led the NFL in rushing in 2017.
“He’s always been a guy that runs tough,” Mahomes said. “He’s hard to tackle and you could see that and he’s going to make sure he finishes every single run and falls forward.
“For someone to come into an offense — even though he had experience in it, he hadn’t played in it for years — and still run the football hard, gain well-earned yards, and catch the ball out of the backfield, seeing that was good.” And I’m just glad [general manager Brett] Veach creates a great running back room that allows guys to step up and make plays while Isiah’s not here.
