Keep Rashee Rice in your thoughts because he’s been through a lot lately.
After committing two felonies related to reckless and dangerous driving on a Dallas highway in March 2024, the poor, multimillionaire Kansas City Chiefs receiver was barred from playing football for the first six weeks of the 2025 season. His Chiefs teammates and coach Andy Reid clearly thought this punishment for driving nearly 120 miles per hour on a freeway was unnecessary for a Football Man who catches passes.
Thankfully, he finally gets to return to the Chiefs’ lineup this Sunday after seemingly learning nothing. Phew!
Who was Rice, a professional athlete playing in the league that consumes American culture like the fictional Cordyceps brain infection, to be judged by his actions in a totally healthy society that will only ever care what he does between the lines while playing a game for children? Who was he to actually face consequences for endangering the lives of everyday people who don’t play football on the giant electronic picture box millions of fans half-watch at home?
How could anyone have stooped so low to punish this young man who did something wrong? Have we no decency?
Based on the hype return video Rice posted on X on Wednesday — which makes it seem like he only recovered from a devastating injury (an LCL and hamstring from last season), not a fully warranted suspension for a crime — he doesn’t appear to believe he made a mistake. Which, to be sure, he didn’t because he’s a Football Man above the law and that silly social contract that says we should act responsibly and safely when out in public, no matter our status in the world.
Why would Rice feel any differently about facing legitimate discipline? That’s likely how everyone around him on the Chiefs, along with those who watch and talk about football only for the football, have indirectly told him he should feel about this situation. He is special and should be untouchable because of what he can do with a ball in his hands. We should stop pretending otherwise, really.
Congratulations to Rice for overcoming the consequences of his own actions. What an incredible story of redemption.
