The Kansas City Chiefs are once again facing uncertainty about the availability of wide receiver Rashee Rice as he continues to navigate legal troubles.
The latest chapter in the Rice saga? The 26-year-old has been ordered to serve 30 days in jail for violating terms of his probation, according to Dallas County (Texas) court records reviewed by USA TODAY Sports.
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Rice’s violation stemmed from the wide receiver testing positive for THC – one of the main active components found in marijuana. He was placed into custody and will be held without bond, according to court records filed May 19. He will be eligible for release June 16.
Rice had been on probation after pleading guilty July 17, 2025 to two third-degree felony chargers – collision involving serious bodily injury, and racing on a highway causing bodily injury – stemming from an incident on a Dallas-area highway on March 30, 2024.
Rice was sentenced to 30 days in jail as part of his plea agreement. However, the deferred nature of the agreement initially gave the 26-year-old flexibility about when to serve the 30-day sentence.
That went out the window when Rice violated the terms of his probation. Now, he will serve the 30-day sentence and will miss the Chiefs’ voluntary OTAs (May 26-28, June 1-3) and mandatory minicamp (June 9-11) while behind bars.
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The next question is about whether Rice will face any additional discipline from the NFL. He already served a six-game suspension in 2025, under the league’s personal conduct policy, for his original arrest. His probation violation will add a new layer for the NFL to investigate before the 2026 campaign.
Will Rice be suspended again in 2026? Here’s what to know about his status ahead of the upcoming season.
OPINION: Rashee Rice let Chiefs down again – it’s time for K.C. to do Patrick Mahomes a solid
Will Rashee Rice be suspended?
The NFL has not indicated whether Rice will be suspended for any portion of its 2026 season. They only released a brief statement in wake of the receiver’s latest legal trouble.
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“We are aware of the report and will decline further comment at this time,” a league spokesperson told USA TODAY Sports in a statement.
While it isn’t clear whether the NFL will suspended Rice, the league could consider disciplining him under two of it policies.
The first would be the NFL’s policy and program on substances of abuse, which includes THC – which is also listed as marijuana – as one of the nine substances tested for as part of the “NFL Drug Panel.”
The primary punishment listed within policy is to fine players who test positive for substances of abuse. However, there is a section that outlines suspension as an option for players committing a “violation of law … relating to use, possession, acquisition, sale, or distribution of Substances of Abuse other than alcohol.”
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“Deferred adjudication” is listed as one of the contexts for which the NFL would consider such discipline, so Rice could be subject to a suspension of up to four games – “absent aggravating circumstances” – as a first-time offender.
Rice could also be subject to discipline under the NFL’s personal conduct policy. That policy outlines “illegal possession, use, or distribution of alcohol or drugs” as conduct prohibited by the NFL, which would potentially give the league grounds to punish Rice.
The NFL’s personal conduct policy does not outline specific suspension length for drug-related offenses. The overarching guidelines on punishment under the policy simply read as follows:
“Depending on the nature of the violation and the player’s record, discipline may be a fine, a suspension for a fixed or an indefinite period of time, a combination of the two, or banishment from the league with an opportunity to reapply.”
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It’s worth noting Rice would be a repeat offender if disciplined under the NFL’s personal conduct policy. He served a six-game suspension to start the 2025 season because of his initial arrest.
But at present, it remains unclear whether the NFL will consider dealing Rice another suspension.
Rashee Rice injury update
A potential suspension isn’t the only thing that might sideline Rice. The fourth-year wide-out also had surgery to his right knee just a week before being ordered to served his 30-day jail sentence.
Rice “underwent a clean-up surgery” meant to “remove loose debris that was causing inflammation,” according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Rice is expected to be sidelined two months by the injury, a timeline that would put him on track to return to the field during the early stages of Chiefs training camp.
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Rice initially hurt his right knee during a September 2024 game against the Los Angeles Chargers after colliding with Patrick Mahomes. It was originally believed the receiver had suffered a torn ACL, but it turned out he had suffered a torn LCL along with damage to his hamstring and posterolateral corner.
Rice missed the remainder of the 2024 season because of that injury but returned to play eight games in 2025.
Rashee Rice contract
Rice is set to play the 2026 NFL season on the final year of his rookie contract. Here’s a look at the full terms of the 2023 second-round pick’s deal with the Chiefs:
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Total value: $6.5 million
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Average annual value (AAV): $1.62 million
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Guaranteed money: $3.5 million
Rice’s 2025 salary was reduced by $421,824 because of his six-game suspension. He could miss out on a similar chunk of his $1.56 million base salary for 2026 if he is dealt another suspension.
Chiefs WR depth chart
Rice is penciled in as the top receiver on Kansas city’s depth chart. Here’s a look at the remainder of the projected pecking order at the position, based on last year’s snap counts and the addition of fifth-round rookie Cyrus Allen.
The Chiefs have an additional six receivers on their roster – Anthony Armstrong, Jeff Caldwell, Omari Evans, Jacob De Jesus, Jimmy Holiday and Xavier Loyd – who could also challenge for spots on the roster or practice squad.
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USA TODAY Sports’ Chris Bumbaca, Nate Davis and Tyler Dragon contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Rashee Rice be suspended? NFL policies outline potential punishment
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