It's the end of more than a week of suspense in Kansas City. Rashee Rice is finally clear on the condition of his knee.
NFL Media reports that the receiver underwent surgery, and only the lateral collateral ligament needed repair. This means that he will have to heal for several months, and that he should be too tight to play in the playoffs.
But the good news is that his other ligaments and his meniscus are not affected. Which means he should be operational during the offseason, and enter the 2025 season after being able to prepare. This would not necessarily have been the case if the anterior cruciate ligament had been affected.
As a reminder, the receiver was injured in a collision with his own quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.
Rashee Rice, essential pawn of the Chiefs
Whether Rashee Rice returns in March or June, that doesn't change much in the problem that awaits the Chiefs in the weeks to come: finding how to replace the production of the man who had become the number one receiver.
In four games this season, Rice had caught 24 passes for 288 yards and 2 touchdowns. A start to the season building on the momentum of his end of the 2023-24 campaign, during which he gained momentum.
On Monday night, Mahomes was able to hold his own with Travis Kelce, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Xavier Worthy. Unless there is a trade, this will now be his program until the end of the season.
