The Rashee Rice saga has taken another turn, and for Chiefs fans, this one’s a bit of good news — at least in the short term. After months of legal twists and whispers about possible discipline, Rice will still be out there when the season kicks off. The NFL’s disciplinary hearing is set for September 30 in New York with Judge Sue L. Robinson, conveniently scheduled after Kansas City’s first four games. Which means he not only gets to play in the Brazil opener, but in the Super Bowl rematch with the Eagles in Week 2 as well.

From Fast Lanes to Court Dates

On March 30, 2024, two high-end cars — a Lamborghini Urus linked to Rice and a Corvette driven by then-SMU DB Teddy Knox — were racing on US-75 in Dallas. The chain-reaction wreck snarled six cars and left multiple people hurt. Investigators later pegged the Urus at roughly 119 mph seconds before impact; The two left the scene on foot. It was ugly, avoidable, and was all caught on video.

In the weeks after, Rice surrendered himself to authorities and faced a stack of charges tied to the crash and the injuries. Civil suits quickly came in — no surprise there given the injuries and property damage. One case ultimately resulted in a court order for $1,075,000, and in the criminal matter, Rice later agreed to pay $115,481.91 in restitution for medical costs.

Fast-forward to this summer. On July 17, 2025, Rice pleaded guilty to two third-degree felonies — collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury. The judge sentenced him to five years of deferred probation with 30 days in jail as a condition. “Deferred” is the key word — if he completes probation, he avoids a final conviction, but he still owes the 30 days at some point on the court’s timeline. That’s why he could practice and prep for the season even with jail time in the sentence.

So, How Has He Not Been Suspended Yet?

Under the 2020 CBA, the NFL and NFLPA try to negotiate on discipline — length, timing, conditions. Usually, they find middle ground; but occasionally they don’t. When they don’t, the case goes to the jointly appointed disciplinary officer, Sue L. Robinson. That’s exactly where Rice’s matter is headed. It’s only the second time under this CBA that Robinson has had to see a case, which gives you a sense of how unusual it is.

The NFL’s disciplinary hearing is booked for Sept. 30 — right between Weeks 4 and 5. Until a decision is issued (and any appeal is resolved), Rice is eligible to play. That means Rice is available for the opener in São Paulo vs. the Chargers and the next three: a Super Bowl rematch against the Eagles, at the Giants, back home for the Ravens. If you’re noticing a trend of big-platform games… you’re not alone.

Football Fit: What The First Four Look Like With Rice

Week 1: Chargers in Brazil (Friday, Sept. 5)

It’s a splashy stage — first regular-season NFL game in South America — with the Chiefs working on a neutral field and live on YouTube globally. For Andy Reid, those neutral, travel-heavy games usually mean leaning on reliability: quick game, option routes, and packaged RPOs that settle the offense and set the tempo in a stadium nobody’s called home. Rice’s value is the easy yardage — slants, quick outs, and bubbles that flip a 2nd-and-8 into 3rd-and-2. In a loud, unfamiliar venue, those little four-yard wins stack up.

Week 2: Eagles (Sept. 14)

This is a measuring-stick Sunday. Philly’s edges want to squeeze the pocket and force Mahomes off-platform into contested windows. Rice is the antidote to over-aggression — sit in the vacated zone, turn, and go. If the Eagles take away verticals and bracket Kelce, the second reaction play flows through Rice and Mahomes in the scramble drill. That was his superpower: catch, pivot, punish.

Week 3: at Giants (Sept. 21, SNF)

New York’s defense last year thrived on timely run blitzes and man looks that dared you to win one-on-one. On third down, that'll make Rice a useful chain-mover — strong to the tuck, protecting the ball through contact — but let’s be real, they probably didn’t need him to take this one. In primetime, on the road, everything moves a half-second faster, but this matchup was always more about the Chiefs handling their business than relying on Rice to tilt it. 

Week 4: Ravens (Sept. 28)

Baltimore likes to make you be patient. Kansas City can do patient. Rice in that chess match is a real weapon: you hit him under and make a safety and nickel tackle 12 times… or they creep, and then he shows that he can beat you deep, he just doesn't always need to. It’s not just about catches; it’s about how his threat for YAC bends coverage.

Reading Between The Lines

With the NFLPA in the middle of what feels like a never‑ending storm — leadership changes, public trust issues, and plenty of bad headlines — you could make a decent argument that they see Rice’s case as a chance to plant a flag. Maybe this is them saying, “Hey, we’re here to fight for our guys, and we’re going to do it the right way.” There’s no smoking gun to prove that’s the plan, but when you look at the mess they’re trying to clean up, it’s not crazy to think they might want to make a point of handling this one with extra care.

At the very least, the timing is interesting. A high‑profile player with a complicated case, a league that wants to move it along, and a union under pressure to prove it still has teeth — it all lines up for the NFLPA to take a firmer stance than usual. It could be as much about optics and rebuilding credibility as it is about Rice himself. Whether that’s actually what’s happening or not, the dots are there to connect if you’re willing to grab the pen.